Miv'MfBMiwjiisrcfliiBnB ■36WVU»£.*Z4'.WJ"' < CONSTITUTION OF THE ACADEMY of MEDICINE PHILADELPHIA. ( /sXf rp _£_ O colledt materials for a general hiftory eafes of our country ; to mark thofe difeafes and their modifications accompanying the feveral feafons of the year, the different fituations of places, the various occu- pations of men, and their modes of life ; to embody evi- dence refpe£ting particular ftates and conftitutions of the atmofphere, favourable to the propagation of particu- lar difeafes; to enquire into the caufes, to examine the nature, afcertain the extent, duration and general eftecT: of fuch ftates and conftitutions ; to notice the rife and progrefs, to inveftigate the caufes, and to eftabliih the proper treatment of epidemics; to devife and recommend effectual meafures for obviating the recurrence of thefe calamities ; to contribute in any other manner to the general promotion of medical fcience, and to the confe- quent diminution of human mifery—are objects which, at the prefent period, exhibit a fpecial claim to the at- tention of the phyficians of America. Impreffed by the foregoing confiderations, and influ- enced by a conviction of the numerous advantages re- fulting from active and well regulated literary inftituti- ons, a number of the Phyficians of Philadelphia have thought proper to aflbciate themfelves under the name and title of the " Academy of Medicine of Philadelphia." For the more certain attainment of the foregoing ob- jects, and for the promotion of order and uniformity in the pradice of medicine, the following conftitution has been adopted :— C ■» ] I. The Academy fliall confift of two claffes of menv bers, refident and correfponding. II. Refident members fhall confift of phyficians of refpectability, both in their moral and medical charac- ters, refiding within the city of Philadelphia, the North- ern Liberties or the diftrict of South wark. III. Correfponding members fhall confift of fu.ch medical characters, not refidinc; within the aforefaid li- mits, as the refident members may think proper to elect. IV. -Trie officers of the Academy fliall confift of a Prefident, two Vice-Prefidents, viz. a ienicr and a ju- nior, a Secretary, a Librarian, and a Treafurer, all of whom fhaK be annually chofen by ballot, from amongft the refident members at the firft ftated meeting in the month of January. V. Th-i Pretident, or in his abfence or indifpofition, the fenior Vice-Prefident, or in the abfence or indifpo- fition of both, the junior Vice-Prefident fhall be pofielfed of power to call extraordinary meetings ; it fliall like- wife be their duty, in the order above ftated, to call them at the requeft of five members. VI. The Secretary fhall keep correct minutes of the tranfactions of the Academy, and fliall record them in a book provided for'trie purpofe, VII. The Treafurer fhall take charge of all monies belonging to the Academy, and fliall pay them to the order of the Prefident or Vice-Prefidents only, which order fliall be the voucher of his expenditures. VIII. ' It fliall be the bufmefs of the Librarian to take charge of all books, communications and literary pro- perty, of which the Academy may become poflefled. IX. Each member of the Academy fhall be furniih- ed with a certificate of his election, figned by the Prefi- dent, and counterfigned by the Secretary; and to which fhall be affixed, the feal of the Academy—the ftile of certificates and of all addrefles from the Academy fhall be " the Academy of Medicine of Philadelphia." X. Seven refident members, the Prefident or either of the Vice-Prefidents being one, fliall form a quorum for ordinary bufmefs; but when neither the Prefident E 3 ] nor either of the Vice-Prefidents attend, nine members fhall be requifite to form a board. XL Four committees fhall be annually chofen from amongft the refident members, at the fame meeting .when the officers of the Academy are elected, viz. the Committee of Correspondence, the Committee of Mete- orology, the Committee of Revifion, and the Committee for annual Bills of Mortality within the city of Philadel- phia, the diftrift of Southwark, and the Northern Liber- ties. XII. The Academy have power to alter this Con- ftituticn, but any motion for that purpofe fhall lie over at lead two months, and when a vote is taken, the con- currence of three-fourths of the members prefent fliall be neceflary. XIII. In the expenditure of money, the making of laws, the election or puniftiment of members, or the altering of this conftitution, the prefence of at leaft three- fourths of the refident members fliall be eflential, until the number fliall have augmented to twenty-four, after which two-thirds fhall be deemed competent to any of the above tranfactions. XIV. Each refident. member fliall on his admiflion into the Academy fubfcribe his name to this Conftituti- on, as a teftimony of his confent to be governed thereby. I have examined the preceding inftrument of incor- poration, and am of opinion, that the objects, articles, and conditions therein fet forth and contained are lawful. JARED INGERSOL, Attorney Gen. We certify to his excellency the Governor, that we have examined the preceding inftrument, and concur in opinion with the Attorney General, that the objects, articles and conditions therein fet forth and contained, are lawful. THOMAS M'KEAN. EDW. SHIPPEN. J. YATES. THOMAS SMITH. March 28, 1799. __________ E 4 ] /;/ the name, and by the authority of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. THOMAS MIFFLIN, Governor of the faid Commonwealth, To Mathew Irwin, Efq. Mailer of the Rolls in and for the faid Commonwealth, fends greeting: WHEREAS it has been duly certified to me by Jared Ingerfoll, Efq. Attorney General of the faid Commonwealth, and by Thomas M'Kean, Efq. Chief Juftice, Edward Shippen, Jafper Yates and Thomas Smith, Elquires, AfTociate Jultices of the Su- preme Courts of Pennfylvania, that they have re- spectively perufed and examined the annexed Act or In- ftrument for Incorporation, of the Academy of Medicine of Philadelphia, and that they concur in opinion, that the objects, articles, and conditions therein fet forth and contained, are lawful: Now know you, that in pur- fuance of an act of the General Affembly, palfed the fixth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and ninety one, entitled " An act to confer on certain aflbciations of the citizens of this Commonwealth, the powers and immunities of Corpora- tion or bodies Politic in Law;" I have tranfmitted the faid act or inftrument of Incorporation unto you, the faid Mathew Irwin, Mafter of Rolls aforefaid, hereby re- quiring you to enrol the fame at the expence of the ap- plicants, to the intent that according to the objects, ar- ticles, and conditions therein fet forth and contained, the parties may become and be a Corporation and body Politic in Law, and in fact to have continuance by the name, ftile, and title, in the faid inftrument provided and declared. Given under my hand, and the great feal of the ftate of Pennfylvania, the third day of April, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Commonwealth the twenty-third. Y>y the Governor, JAMES TRIMBLE, Deputy Sec'ry. LAWS of The ACADEMY of MEDICINE OF PHILADELPHIA. CHAP. I. Of Meetings. i. r i ^HE ftated meetings of the Academy fhall be JL precifely at 5 o'clock, P. M. on the fecond and fourth Monday of every month. The order of bufmefs fliall be as follows :— I. Provided the necefiary number of members be prefent, the Prefident fliall take the chair ten minutes after the appointed time of meeting, and fhall declare the Academy conftituted. II. The Secretary fhall call the roll, and note the names of abfent members. Ill, The minutes of the preceding meeting fhall be read, and corrected if necefiary. IV. Candidates fhall be ballotted for, and when oc- cafion requires, officers fhall be elected—New members fliall fign the laws. V. Candidates for admiffion propofed. E 2 J VI. Contributions and fines collected by die Trea- furer. VII. Reports of committees received. VIII. Communications delivered, read and difcufled. IX. Mifcellaneous bufmefs tranfacted. X. Roll called. XL Academy adjourned- CHAP. W. I. The election of candidates fliall be by ballot, and fhall be held only on the firft ftated meeting in January, April, July and October, II. For the election of a refident member, it fhall be necefiary, that he be propofed as a candidate in writing, figned by not lefs than three members of the Academy, at leaft four weeks previoufly to the time of his being ballotted for ; and the concurrence of four-fifth? of the members prefent, fhall be effential to his admiffion. III. For the admiffion of a correfponding member, it fhall be necefiary that he be propofed in writing as a candidate, figned by two members of the Academy, at leaft two weeks previoufly to his being ballotted for ; and it fhall be requifite that not lefs than three-fourths of the members prefent concur in his election. IV, Correfponding members, wjio may come to refide within the limits defignated in Art. II of the conftitution, may at pleaiiire attend the meetings of the Academy ; but fhall take no part in the tranfactions, nor in any de« bate without fpecial permiflion from the Prefident, t 3 ] C H A P. IIL Of Officers. i. In the abfence of the Prefident, the chair fhall de- volve on the Senior Vice-prefident, and on the Junior Vice-prefident in the abfence of both the above named officers ; but fliould the Prefident and both the Vice- prefidents by abfent, the Academy fhall nominate a prefident pro tempore. II. The Prefident fhall not be entitled to a vote, ex- cept in the election of members and of officers ; or when a divifion of voices fhall render a calling vote necefiary. III. He fliall poflefs power to grant leave of abfence. IV. The Secretary fhall notify, in one of the public papers of this city, the election of refident and corref- ponding members; and fhall receive all communica- tions made to the Academy by perfons refiding within the limits of the city of Philadelphia, the Northern Liber- ties and the diftrict of Southwark. V. The Treafurer fhall, annually at the laft ftated meeting in December or oftner if required, report to the Academy the ftate of the funds, and render in an accur- ate account of his receipts and difburfements for the cur- rent year. He fhall alfo on his election enter into a bond, with approved iecurity to the Prefident of the Academy in a fum not lefs than ioo dollars, and not ex- ceeding fifteen hundred dollars as a fecurity for the monies with which he may become entrufted. [ 4 ] CHAP. IV; Of Committees. I. The Prefident fhall have power to appoint com- mittees, which fliall confift of an odd number ;^ except in the cafe of the four ftanding committees, which fhall not neceiTarily confift of an odd number. II. The committee of correfpondence fhall confift of five members. III. The committee of meteorology fliall be compofed of four members, refident in various parts of the city. It fhall be the duty of two of thefe to keep an exact re- gifter of the ftate of the thermometer, Barometer, and Hygrometer, as it may appear at any hour not later than eight in the morning, at three in the afternoon, and at ten at night. The duty of the other two fliall be to note the ftate of the winds and weather at the fame hours alfo the purity of the atmofphere as fhewn by the ftate of the Eudiometer, once a week, and the quantity of rain which fells as indicated by the Pleuviometer at nine every morning, or oftner. If judged proper this committee fliall report Monthly. IVt The Committee of Revificn fliall confift of three members, whole duty it fliall be to revife and prepare fuch communications as may be made to the Academy, and which they may deem proper for the prefs ; after which they fliall report a lift of them for its approbation. V. The Committee for the annual bills of mortality fliall, annually, make as accurate a report as poffible of the number of deaths, which may occur in the city, nor- thern Liberties and diftrict of Southwark; as well as of the ages of the deceafed. [ 5 ] CHAP. V. Of fines and Contributions. I. Each refident member fhall contribute, for the-ujfe of the Academy, two dollars quarterly. II. Candidates on adnvff cr fliall pay ten dollars in- to the hands ol the treafurer lor the ufe of the Academy. III. Any member who fhall fail to be prefent at roll- call unlefs confined by ficknefs, fhall incur a fine of one fourth of a dollar, and one half dollar if abfent the whole evening, unlefs permiffion is granted by the Prefident. IV. Every member who fails to communicate a pa- per in his turn, fliall be fubject to the fine of two dol- lars. CHAP. VI. Of Orations and Communications. I. An addrefs fliall be delivered annually to the Academy at a fpecial meeting to be held for that pur- pofe on the third Monday in December, at noon, oil a medical fubject, or fome fubject in fcience intimately connected with medicine, by a refident member, who fliall have twelve months previous no- tice to prepare for the occafion. II. Each member fliall deliver in writing a commu- nication upon fome medical fubject, or a fcientific one connected with medicine ; and this duty fliall be per- E 6 J formed in the order in which the names are fubfcfibecl to the conftitution. Mifcellaneous. I. In matters of order the officiating Prefident fhall decide finally ; and when he fpeaks to a motion he fhall vacate the chair, and appoint a member to act in his place. II. Every motion fhall be made by a member Hand- ing, and fhall be delivered, if required, to the Prefident in writing. No motion fhall be received which is not feconded.. III. Abfence from the Academy for fix months Or neglect of duty fhall fubject the delinquent member to expulfion or to fuch other cenfure as three fourths of the Academy fhall decree. IV. Any member who fhall divulge the rejection of a candidate, or any of the tranfactions of the Academy, in which fecrecy may be required, fhall be fubject to a fevere cenfure from the Prefident in the name of the Academy. V. Any member who enters into converfation du- ring the fitting of the Academy fhall be deemed difor- derly and fhall fubject himfelf to the cenfure of the Prefident. VI. Any member failing in propriety of behaviour to a fellow member, in his medical capacity ; or any member who fhall in any point be guilty of a' breach of morality or ungentlemanly conduct, fliall fubject himfelf to fuch fine or punifhment as three fourths of the mem- bers prefent mail deem adequate, after a candid in- veftigation of the affair. E 7 ] VII. No perfon who may be known to be poffefTed of a remedy for the cure of any human malady, and who may refufe to communicate the fame to this Academy, when applied to for this purpofe, and without the in- junction of fecrecy, fhall be eligible to memberfhip in this inftitution. PHILIP SYNG PHYSIC, Prefident, JOHN C. OTTO, Secretary. ^ WZ .170 frlUc mi ■>'?..i.»'-'-^+'»'"lfc4'. '^ , -#;s- ★ * ARMY * * MEDICAL LIBRARY Cleveland Branch , (tfirnt ►*«*»> RtSg