y-yy/^*^ iM-'fl COLL. CAT. / I Y-LAWS OF THE RENSSELAER COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. CHAPTER I. ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. Any regular licensed Physician or Surgeon residing within the county, when proposed by a member, may be admitted into this society by the votes of a majority of the members present, after producing satisfactory evidence of his authority to practice in either or both of the above ca- pacities, and of his sustaining a good moral character, when he shall sign the by-laws and pay to the treasurer the sum of five dollars, which shall entitle him to a certifi- cate of membership. CHAPTER II. MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY. The Anniversary meeting of this society shall be on the second Tuesday of June, at 10 o'clock A. M.; and the Semi-Annual meeting on the second Tuesday of January. And there shall be two Quarterly meetings, one on the second Tuesday in September, and one on the second Tuesday in April, in each year; but there shall be no votes taken which shall in any way affect the funds or pro- perty of the society, except at the annual meeting; and «/< o then it shall require a majority of the whole number of voters recorded as present at such meeting. The place of meeting shall be determined by a majority of the voters present. Seven members shall constitute a quorum. The President may call a special meeting of this society on application being made to him by any three members thereof: provided, he gives four weeks previous notice of such meeting in one or more of the newspapers published in the county. CHAPTER III. order of business. Sec. 1. "When a quorum is present, the President shall declare the society ready for the transaction of business. 1st. The names of the members present shall first be re- corded by the secretary. 2d. The minutes of the last meeting read. 3d. Candidates for membership proposed. 4th. The unfinished business of previous meetings taken up and disposed of. oth. Miscellaneous business. 6th. The reading of the president's dissertation. 7th. If an annual meeting, election of officers. Lastly. Adjourn- ment. Sec. 2. All the officers of this society shall be elected by ballot. The ballots shall be counted by the presiding officer, and the candidate having the greatest number of votes shall be by him declared duly elected. CHAPTER IV. DUTY OF THE PRESIDENT. Sec. 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the society; he shall preserve order and decorum; deter- mine all questions of order, unless overruled by a majority of the society; take the opinion of the society on all mo- tions made and seconded; give the casting vote when the society is equally divided; nominate all committees unless otherwise directed by the society ; grant and sign the di- 3 ploma of this society to such as have passed the examina- tion of their censors ; call all extra meetings required by law, and perform all such other duties as are prescribed him by law and the by-laws and resolutions of this society. In the absence of the president, the vice president, as president pro tem., shall exercise the same powers. Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the President to deliver a dissertation on some medical or scientific subject, at the annual meeting closing the year after his election. DUTY OF THE SECRETARY. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to perform the duties prescribed him by law and the by- laws and resolutions of this society; he shall notify, in writing, the chairmen of all committees of their appoint- ment, together with the names of their colleagues and the object and duty of such committees. In case of his non- attendance, a secretary pro tem. shall be appointed. It shall be the duty of the recording secretary to publish a list of the officers of this society, immediately after the an- nual meeting each year, in two of the most widely circula- ted papers published in this county ; also such other trans- actions as the society shall direct. Sec. 4. There shall be chosen by this society, at their annual election of officers, a Corresponding Secretary, who shall hold his office for one year, or until another shall be chosen in his place; whose duty it shall be to hold corres- pondence, in the name of the society, with other medical societies and scientific characters ; to receive all commu- nications transmitted to him in behalf of the society, and lay them before the society at their regular meetings; and make such other communications as the society may think proper to direct. OF THE TREASURER. Sec. 5. The Treasurer shall perform all the duties of his office prescribed him by law and the by-laws and reso- lutions of this society, and shall present an annual report to the society of the state of the funds, subject to the ex- amination of two auditors, who are to b,e appointed by the president. 4 OF THE CENSORS. Sec. 6. The Censors shall examine every candidate who shall present himself agreeable to law. And if, upon examination, they shall be satisfied with the medical abili- ties, moral standing, and scientific attainments of said can- didate, they shall certify the same, in writing, to the pre- sident, which certificate shall entitle him to a diploma of the society. For every such examination, each censor, whether a certificate be granted or not, shall be entitled to the sum of three dollars from every student so examined : provided always, that no examination shall be had by a board of less than three censors. OF THE DELEGATE. Sec. 7. The Delegate shall perform all the duties pre- scribed him by law and the by-laws and resolutions of this society ; shall support the honor and dignity of the society, and shall report to the society at each annual meeting the proceedings of the State Medical Society. CHAPTER V. DUTY OF THE MEMBERS. Sec. 1. Every Member when speaking in the society, shall rise and address the presiding officer ; observe order and decorum, and pay proper respect to the president and other officers, as well as to his fellow members. Sec. 2. No member shall leave the room while the so- ciety is in session, without leave from the chair. Sec. 3. Any member who shall neglect or refuse to serve upon any committee when duly appointed and noti- fied, shall pay such fine, not exceeding five dollars, as a majority shall see proper to inflict. And it shall be the duty of the chairman, or first in nomination of every com- mittee, to appoint the time and place of meeting of such committee, and to give due notice, in writing, to each member of said committee. Sec. 4, Any member of this society who may be con- victed of any serious offence against the laws of this State 5 or of the United States, or who may be guilty of gross im- morality, or who shall be repeatedly guilty of improper conduct in the duties of his profession, or improper beha- viour in this society, or who shall refuse to comply with any of its by-laws, may be expelled at any annual or spe- cial meeting of the society, upon a vote of two thirds of the members present. Sec. 5. The charge or charges made against such member shall be specified. They shall be signed by two or more members of the society, and be deposited with the president, vice president, or recording secretary, who shall immediately transmit a copy of the same to the per- son accused, so that said person shall have twenty days notice previous to the time of trial. The accused, on making application for the purpose of adducing further evidence, may have the privilege of one odjournment, which shall not extend beyond the time of the next special or regular meeting of this society. At the close of the trial, the verdict shall be immediately declared. Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of every member of this so- ciety, on entering the same at any time during the session, to report himself to the recording secretary, who shall en- ter his name as present at said meeting. CHAPTER VI. HONORARY MEMBERS. Scientific men of good moral deportment, may become honorary members of this society, by a majority of votes of all the members present at any annual meeting; and shall enjoy all the privileges of this society while in session, except voting at elections. CHAPTER VII. DIPLOMA OF THE SOCIETY. Sec. 1. The Diploma of this society, shall be printed with a fair type, on parchment or vellum paper, signed by G the president and secretary, and shall have the seal of the society affixed thereto by the secretary. Sec. 2. No one shall be entitled to a diploma until he shall have passed the examination of the censors, received their certificate, and paid to the president the sum of five dollars, as directed by law. CHAPTER VIII. TAXES, FINES, &C The society, by a vote of a majority of its members, at an annual meeting, may impose a tax of not less than one or more than three dollars, upon each of its members, for the use of the society, to be collected, together with fines and penalties, by the treasurer ; and in case any member neglect or refuse to comply with such regulations, the treasurer is hereby authorised to sue for and collect the same, as in other cases provided by law. CHAPTER IX. SCIENTIFIC IMPROVEMENT. # Sec. 1. Any member may make communications to this society, calculated to correct errors, or make improve- ments either in the principles or practice of medicine and surgery, or in the sciences therewith connected. Sec. 2. The Recording Secretary shall keep on file all communications made to the society, for their benefit. CHAPTER X. REVISAL of the by-laws. The society may, at any regular meeting, appoint a committee to examine and report to the society such amend- ments ond alterations as may be considered necessary in the by-laws of this society, and such report shall be deter- mined by a majority of the members recorded as present at the next regular meeting. 7 BY-LAWS OF THE RENSSELAER MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY. Sec. 1. The surplus funds of the Rensselaer County Medical Society shall be appropriated to the purchasing of a Medical Museum and Library, in such sums, at such times, and in such manner, as the members thereof shall direct. Sec. 2. There shall be chosen at the annual election of officers, a Curator, who shall hold his office for one year, or until another be chosen in his place. Sec. 3. The Curator shall keep a catalogue of appa- ratus, specimens and books belonging to the society, and shall be accountable for their safe keeping. He shall also perform all other duties prescribed him by the by-laws and^ resolutions of this society, and shall report to the society annually the state of the collections. Sec. 4. The Curator shall open or cause to be opened the cabinet of the sdciety, on the application of any one o{ its members who may wish to examine the same. * OFFICERS FOR 1840. THOMAS W. BLATCHFORD, President. ANDREW C. GETTY, Vice President. E. F. CRANDALL, Recording Secretary. ALONZO STREETER, Corresponding Secretary. CENSORS. RICHARD S. BRYAN, AVERY J. SKILTON, JAMES THORN, JOHN W. HAYNES, SIMEON A. COOK. TREASURER, JAMES THORN. CURATOR, . JAMES CHRISTIE. DELEGATE, CHARLES S. J. GOODRICH. A LIST OF THE PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE RENSSELAER COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY. June 9, 1840. ^) Asaph Clark. » John Wheeler. Samuel M'Clellan. » Alfred Wotkyns. * Elijah Graves. /Thomas C. Brinsmade. Daniel Haynes. Simeon A. Cook. John Squire. VAvery J. Skilton. ' Lorenzo Streeter. / .Thomas W. Blatchford. Samuel Russell. Richard H. Hale. Henry Brown. Joel G. Candee. Richard S. Bryan. S. H. Barbar. E. F. Crandall. Thomas Browning Myron Knowlton. Robert Collins. Simon Newcomb. * Nicholas B. Harris. / John Clapp. ^ Rufus S. Wait. ^Abraham D. Spoor. ' Charles H. Gregory. Hiram Moses. Alonzo Streeter. > Isaiah Braky. / Charles S. J. Goodrich. Joseph H. Elmore. y Hiram Wotkyns. Piatt Burton. Jjames Thorn. • John Wright. Daniel Wheeler. Henry R. Lane. Andrew C. Getty. / James Christie. Charles H. Twiss. >Amatus Robbins. John Van Namee. / Thorn is Taylor. Ezekiel Baker. *Zenas Cary. ' Henry Van Dyck. Zechariah Lyon. P. S. F. Westervelt. Prosper Armstrong. Frederick B. Leonard. ' David Elliot. John Van Buren. P. Ackerman, jr. r L. H. I. Maxson. ' Horace H. Young. John Haynes. ' Benjamin Judson. ' Charles Smith. J. W. Richards. John Brown. X.