Baker, Henry (1698-1774)

English scientist. He wrote two popular instructional books on the use of the microscope in natural history, and made observations on the crystallization of salts in 1744. He also introduced the rhubarb plant to England.

Baker was born in London, and was at one time a bookseller, but, in 1720, as tutor to a deaf girl, he invented a system of teaching the deaf and dumb. He kept his methods secret, and established a profitable private school for deaf mutes. He helped the writer Daniel Defoe with the magazine Universal Spectator 1728. He wrote poetry, and helped in the foundation of the Society of Arts in 1754.