46 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



1878-1882 



At the April session of the following year, Mr. Thomas A. 

 Edison exhibited to the Academy the phonograph, which was 

 invented by him in 1877, and also his " carbon telephone." The 

 record contains the following statement regarding this exhi- 

 bition: 



April, 1878. 



" During the session Mr. Thomas A. Edison exhibited to the Academy his 

 Phonograph and Carbon Telephone, communicating with the latter through 

 one of the Western Union Telegraph wires with the Central Office of that Com- 

 pany in Philadelphia, and members of the Academy holding conversation with 

 Mr. Henry Bentley of that city." 23 



Toward the close of the year 1877 the health of the second 

 President of the Academy, Joseph Henry, suffered a severe 

 decline, and at the April session of 1878 an address was read in 

 his behalf, in which he called attention to his long term of ser- 

 vice, and renewed the request which he had made some six 

 years previously, that he be allowed to resign his office. In 

 closing his address he remarked, " I retain the office six months 

 longer in the hope that I may be restored to such a condition of 

 health as to be able to prepare some suggestions, which may be of 

 importance for the future of the Academy." 2 * 



The appreciation of Henry's services was such that the follow- 

 ing resolution was adopted unanimously: 



" Resolved, That with every sentiment of sympathy and regard for Professor 

 Henry, the Academy most respectfully declines to entertain any proposition 

 looking to his retirement from the office of President." 25 



His infirmities, however, increased with such rapidity that he 

 was obliged to hasten his valedictory address, and at the end of 

 the same session his farewell was delivered in the following 

 words : 



" GENTLEMEN : I have been much interested in the proceedings of the present 

 meeting of the National Academy. Although I have been unable to be present, 



^Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., vol. i, p. 130. 



24 Loc. clt., p. 132. 



25 Loc. cit., p. 132. 



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