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Learned Societies. - 497 
fynthetic proofs, they haye ftill left well-founded doubts, 
(z) whether the electric fpark, in its paflage through oxy- 
gen. or azotic gas, does not itfelf undergo a chemical de- 
compofition, and furnifh the bafis of the -nitrous acid ; 
(2) and how, by the fame means, (a red heat, and the elec- 
tric {park,) the nitrous acid is decompofed into oxygen and 
azotic gafes, and can be again recompofed from them; and, 
(c), fince oxygen and azotic gafes have fo great an affinity 
for each other in the atmofphere, why, when the former is 
added in a fufficient quantity, imperfect nitrous acid is not 
immediately produced, as is the cafe when oxygen gas is 
added to the azote in nitrous gas, by which perfect nitrous 
acid is immediately produced ? 
** The papers on this fubje&t, written either in Latin or 
French, mutt be tranfmitted before the 1ft of November 1800, 
to M. I. Kencdy, fecretary to the academy, with the name of 
the author, in a fealed note, and any motto chofen at plea- 
fure. . The prize is a gold medal, of the value of 50 ducats.”” 
HOLLAND. 
_ The Dutch Society of the Sciences at Haerlem propofed 
in 1793, and afterwards in 1796, the following queftion: 
* What light has Lavoifier’s fyftem, and his method of exa- 
mining organic fubftances, furnifhed towards a more accu- 
rate knowledge of the human body?” But, as no fatisfac- 
' tory anfwer was received, they have propofed it again in the 
following manner :— 
I. As a great number of new difcoveries have been made 
fince the quefiion was firft propofed, and as the cireumftances 
of it have thereby acquired more extent than to admit of 
their being properly comprehended in a fingle treatife, the 
Society have refolved to divide the different objects of it into 
three new queftions for the prefent year, and to fix the period 
of receiving anfwers at the 1{t of November 1800. 
1. What light has the new chemiftry thrown on the phy- 
fiology of the human ‘body ? 
2. How far has the light, thrown on the phyfiology of the 
‘Human body, contributed to a better knowledge than before 
of the nature and caufes of certain difeafes ; and what ufeful 
Vou. V. Qq confe- 
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