A Dictionary of Chemistry

Building on Nicholson’s then outdated Dictionary of Chemistry, Ure first published his Dictionary in 1821. After training as a surgeon, Ure lectured on chemistry and mechanics at Glasgow’s Andersonian Institute, which later became the University of Strathclyde. Ure worked as a chemist-for-hire, which led him to examine numerous businesses around Britain and Europe. Following a geological work that attempted to explain the Biblical flood with modern science, Ure focused on writing about business and manufacturing. This work is notable for attributing the development of the atomic theory of chemistry to the Irish chemist William Higgins instead of the more widely acknowledged John Dalton. Another work by Ure, A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, is also on display in the Technology and Industry section of the exhibition.