2 THOMSON, Presidential Address. 



of the two [towns. The word' Oxygen was unknown; the name 

 which was used for) it and other elements was " dephlogisti gated 

 ah"." At this time Priestley was resident in Warrington, and he 

 it was who discovered Oxyge'n on thej ist of August, 1774, a 

 discovery which enabled Lavoisier to -put forward the true theory 

 of Combustion. Lavoisier was elected an Honorary Member^ of 

 this Society on the (2nd April, 1783. 



One of the first Presidents of tjhis Society and the founder of 

 it was Dr. Thomas Percival, who was a pupil and friend of 

 Priestley, and who' became an eminent physician in practice in 

 Manchester. The first meetings of the Society jwere held at his 

 house,, where meteorology, the sun, moon, and the weather were 

 frequently discussed. I can remember a hundred years later, 

 when M|r. Bhiney and Mr. Baxendall were factive members, that 

 fjhese topics formed frequent subjects of discussion. 



Some idea of the aims of the Society may be gathered from 

 a resolution which was passed, in 1 Its early days : " That a Gold 

 Medal value seven guineas be given to' the author of the best 

 experimental paper on any subject relative to Arts and Manu- 

 factures read at the ordinary meetings before the last Wednesday 

 in March, 1786. 



Under the beading of " Regulations " of that time, the follow- 

 ing occurs, which may bid, (taken as a useful suggestion to the 

 members of to-day: — 



Regulation VII. — The regular attendance of members 

 being essential to the prosperity and usefulness of the Institu- 

 tion, that if any member shall absent himself during the space 

 of three months from the meetings of the Society, notice shall 

 be sent to him at a quarterly meeting that the Society con- 

 siders his absence as a mark of disrespect, and that a more 

 punctual observance of the laws is expected from him. 

 and also the following : — 



Regulation VIII . — To encourage the exertions of young 

 men who attend the meejtijngs of the Society as visitors, that 

 a Silver Medal, not exceeding thle value Of two guineas, fae 

 given annually to any one oi them under the age of twenty- 

 pne years, whk> shall, within the year, halve furnished the 

 Society with the blejsit paper on any Subject of literature or 

 philosophy, and that such adjudication shall be made by the 

 Committee of Papers. 



The Society was to consist of fifty members, all of whom 

 had to be distinguished by literary or philosophical publications. 



Manchester at this time, and mainly through the influence 

 of this Society, drew public attention to Sanitary matters and 

 influenced the formation of a Board of Health in 1796. A letter 

 addressed by Dr. Haygarth, of Chester, to Dr. Percival, of 



