At a meeting of the Psychological Section of the British Medical Association held at King's College, August, 1873, Professor Gay called attention to the fact that John Howard was appointed High Sheriff of the County of Bedford exactly one hundred years ago (in 1773), and so obtained the opportunity of making those remarkable inquiries into the state of prisons, and the physical and moral condition of prisoners to which this country and the world in general are so deeply indebted. Dr. Guy also alluded to the controversies which had arisen as to the character of Howard and his treatment of his only son; and as, in his judgment, there is no biography extant which affords such full and trustworthy materials on which to found a psychological inquiry, he offered a prize of £10 to encourage and promote such inquiry.