Demidov Prize

In 1855 A.L Butakov continued his studies and described the lower reaches of the Syrdarya River and in 1859, the whole delta of the Amudarya River. In 1857 he published his work entitled Brief Description of the Syrdarya River from Perovsky Fort to the Mouth where he noted the northward displacement of the delta arms. For his investigations Butakov was awarded the Demidov Prize of the Russian Geographical Society. In 1853 he was elected an Honorary Member of the Berlin Geographical Society and in 1867 the London Geographical Society conferred upon him the medal of the society s founder. 

Carl Ernst Claus (Dorpat (Tartu) ii January 1796 (O.S.)-24 March 1864) qualified as a pharmacist in St. Petersburg (Leningrad) and Dorpat, and practised in Kazan (1826). In 1831 he became assistant in chemistry in Dorpat but returned to Kazan in 1837 as associate professor of chemistry, professor in 1843. In 1852 he returned to Dorpat as professor of pharmacy, where he continued work on platinum metals. In 1834 he explored with Goebel the steppes between the Urals and the Volga, receiving the Demidov prize, and he also worked on botany. Schofield, Pharm.y.y 1946, clvii, 135 Poggendorff, (i), i, 425 iii, 278 Weeks, (i), 440. 

K. Klaus separated six grams of the new element from its double salt with potassium. He sent a report about it to Berzelius but the latter was sceptical again. Great courage was required from Klaus to contradict the old and eminent scientist. The Russian chemist proved the genuineness of his discovery and in 1845 J. Berzelius recognized the new element. A special committee was formed in Russia consisting of Academicians H. Hess and Yu. F. Fritsshe to check the results obtained by Klaus, The committee confirmed the discovery and K. Klaus was awarded the Demidov s prize (1000 roubles). 

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