458 Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris. 
Prizes proposed by the French Royal Academy of Sciences for 
1823. 
In Physics.—The origin of animal heat is not established in 
an incontestable manner, and philosophers are stilt divided in 
opinion on the subject, notwithstanding its great importance to 
the progress of physiology. 
The Academy offers a gold medal of the value of 3000 francs, 
to be awarded in the Public Sitting of the year 1823, for the 
best Treatise founded: on actual experiments, On the causes, 
whether chemical or physiological, of Animal Heat? It is par- 
ticularly desired to know exactly the degree of heat emitted 
by a healthy animal in a given time, and the carbonic acid which 
it produces in respiration; and what proportion such heat bears 
to that produced by the combustion of carbon in the formation 
of the same quantity of carbonic acid. The Essays to be trans- 
mitted to the Secretariat of the Institute before the Ist of Janu- 
ary 1823. 7 
In Mathematics.—The Academy, persuaded that the theory 
of Heat is one of the most interesting objects to which mathe- 
matics can be applied, propose the following question for a 
Prize to be awarded in March 1824, 
1. What is the density, as proved by experiments, which li- 
quids, especially mercury, water, alcohol, and sulphuric ether, 
acquire, by degrees of compression equivalent to the weight of 
so many atmospheres ? 
2. How to measure the effects of the heat produced by these 
compressions ? 
The Prize to be a gold medal of the value of 3000 francs. 
- The Essays to be transmitted before the Ist of January 1824. 
Prizes founded by M. ALHUMBERT. 
The late M. Alhumbert having bequeathed an annuity of 300 
francs to be employed in promoting the sciences and arts, the 
King has authorized the Academies of Sciences and Fine Arts to 
distribute alternatively every year a Prize of that value. 
The Academy proposes the following subject for the competi- 
tion of this year— 
To compare anatomically the structure of a fish and that of 
a reptile; the two species to be chosen by the competitors. 
Prize of Experimental Physiology founded by M. de 
Montryon. 
The Prize a gold medal of the value of 895 francs, for the 
work, printed or in MS., which shall appear to have contributed 
most to the progress of experimental physiology.—To be sent 
to the Secretariat of the Institution before the Ist. of January 
1823. 
Prize 
