CHA-RTKR AND BY-LAWS or THB COLUMBIA HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND LYING-IN ASYLUM. WASHINGTON, D. C. WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1877. OFFICERS. President. General O. E. Babcock. Vice-Presidents. C. H. Nichols, M. D. | Noble Young, M. D. Secretary. C. H. Cragin, M. D. Treasurer. J. T. Mitchell, Esq. Directors. Hon. A. A. Sargent, U. S. S. Hon. J. A. Garfield, H. R. Hon. L. A. Mackey, H. R. General J. K. Barnes, M. D. J. H. Thompson, M. D. C. H. Nichols, M. D. Noble Young, M.D. Rev. B. Sunderland, D. D. General O. E. Babcock. F. H. Smith, Esq. J. T. Mitchell, Esq. A. S. Solomons, Esq. C. H. Cragin, M. D. A. R. Shepherd, Esq. F. A. Ashford, M. D. Rev. William Paret, D. D. Henry A. Willard, Esq. MEDICAL STAFF. Surgeon-in-Chief. J. H. Thompson, M. D. Resident Physician. P. J. Murphy, M. D. ADVISORY AND CONSULTING BOARD OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS. Johnson Eliot, M. D. Flodoardo Howard, M. D. Alex. Y. P. Garnett, M. D. Samuel C. Busey, M. D. J. Ford Thompson, M. D. W. B. Drinkard, M. D. S. A. H. McKim, M. D. C. H. A. Kleinschmidt, M. D. Matron. Mrs. A. L. S. Thombs. CHARTER. AN ACT to incorporate the Women's Hospital Association of the District of Columbia. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled, That Abram D. Gillette, Byron Sunder- land, Charles H. Hall, George W. Samson, J. N. Coombs, William B. Matchett, Henry D. Cooke, William W. Corcoran, Charles Knap, J. H. Thompson, Moses Kelly, Ansel St. John, Mrs. Adelaide J. Brown, Mrs. Mary W. Kelly, Elmira W. Knap, Mary C. Havenner, Mary Ellen Norment, Jane Thompson, Maria L. Harkness, Isabella Margaret Washington, Mary F. Smith, Mrs. Elmira W. Powell, and Mrs. Elizabeth Samson, and their successors duly chosen, are hereby constituted and created a body-corporate in the District of Columbia, by the name of the Columbia Hospital for Women and Lying-in Asylum. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That said corporation hereby constituted shall consist of twenty-four members. They shall have power to fill all vacaucies created by death, resignation, or other- wise, and to make by-laws, rules, and regulations: Provided, That such by-laws, rules, and regulations are not repugnant to the Con- stitution or laws of the United States. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the affairs of said corpora- tion shall be under the control aud management of a board of twelve directors, to consist of the first twelve of the above-named incorpo- rators, or such further number as the duties of the corporation may require, such increase of numbers to be made by a vote of two- thirds of the existing board. The board of directors shall also have power to appoint all sub-committees necessary to the direction and efficiency of the institution hereby authorized to be established. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the first twelve corporators named in the first section hereof, together with those who may be elected directors as provided in the preceding section, shall consti- tute the first board of directors, who shall from their number elect 4 a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary, and treasurer; and seven of the directors, of whom the president or one of the vice- presidents shall be one, shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the object of the association hereby incorporated is to found in the city of Washington a hospi- tal and dispensary for the i reatment of diseases peculiar to women, and a lying-in asylum, in which those unable to pay therefor shall be furnished with board, lodging, medicine, and medical attend- ance gratuitously, and to that end full powers are hereby conferred on the association. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That said corporation shall have power to accept, purchase, receive conveyances of, and hold prop- erty, either personal or real, to an amount necessary for the full accommodation, convenience, and support of the institution and those participating in its benefits. Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the property, personal or real, so held by said corporation, shall be exempt from all taxes and assessments levied under act of Congress, or by authority of any municipal corporation or board within the District of Columbia. Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That Congress may at any time hereafter alter, amend, or repeal this act. Approved, June 1, 1866. [Extract from Sundry Civil bill, 1872.] " For purchase of building now occupied by said hospital, with forty thousand feet of ground, twenty-five thousand dollars: Pro- vided, That the title to said real estate shall be vested in the United States, for the use of said hospital, and that no part of the real or personal property now held or hereafter to be acquired by said in- stitution shall be devoted to any other purpose than a hospital for women and lying-in asylum without the consent of the United States; and that in addition to the directors whose appointment is now provided for by law, there shall be three other directors appointed in the following manner : One Senator, by the President of the Senate, and two Representatives, by the Speaker of the House; these directors shall hold their offices for the term of a single Con- gress and be eligible for re-appointment. "Approved, June 10, 1872." BY-LAWS AND REGULATIONS. Be it ordained by the Directors of the Columbia Hospital for Women and Lying-in Asylum, and it is hereby ordained by their authority, That the following roles and regulations be, and are hereby, established as laws and ordinances of the said corporation, and that all other by-laws, rules, and regulations heretofore made are hereby repealed: CHAPTER I. Of the Directors. 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of not more than fifteen members, with one Senator and two Representatives added to it by act of Congress. Seven members will constitute a quorum. They will have power to fill vacancies occurring in the Board, by election, at any regular meeting thereof. 2. The Directors shall hold quarterly meetings during the year, on the third Thursdays in June, September, December, and March. That in September will be the annual meeting; in March the semi- annual. The annual meeting may be held at such hour and place as the Directors may elect; all others will be held at the Hospital at 7.30 p. m. 3. At the annual meeting there shall be elected, by a majority of Directors present, a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, a Secretary, a Committee on Expenditures, a Surgeon-in-Chief, a Resident Physician, and a Matron for the ensuing year. They will also at the annual meeting elect, in like manner, an Advisory and Consulting Board of Physicians and Surgeons, residents of the Dis- trict of Columbia, to consist of not less than four nor more than eight members, eminent in the profession. 4. Vacancies occurring in the Officers of the Institution or on the Advisory Board may be filled, for the unexpired term, in like man- ner, at the next regular, or at a special, meeting, called as herein- after provided. 6 CHAPTER II. President and Vice-Presidents. 1. The President, a Vice-President, or two Directors may call a special meeting of the Directors, and appoint a time for such meet- ing, giving two days' notice of the same. 2. The President will preside at all meetings of the Directors, in his absence a Vice-President, and in their absence the Directors will elect a presiding officer for such meeting. CHAPTER III. Treasurer. 1. The Treasurer is the custodian of all papers and documents relating to the property of this corporation. He shall give bonds and security, as required by the regulations of the Treasury Depart- ment. He will pay no moneys except under resolution of the Board of Directors, or upon regular vouchers approved by the Committee on Expenditures, and will report in detail at each annual meeting his receipts and expenditures for the preceding fiscal year, which report will be then audited by a committee appointed by the pre- siding officer. CHAPTER IV. Secretary. 1. The Secretary will attend the meetings of the Directors, take minutes of the proceedings, and transcribe them in a book provided for that purpose. Immediately after the election of Directors and Officers, he will give notice to the persons so elected. He will give due notice of each special and stated meeting to each of the Direct- ors. At every meeting, unless otherwise ordered, he will read the minutes of the preceding meeting. All reports relating to the Hospital, except such as can be properly preserved on file for refer- ence, will be entered upon the minutes. 2. The Secretary will keep a roster of the Directors, arranging them as nearly as practicable in equal numbers as Visiting Com- mittees, and at each quarterly meeting will notify the Directors he has designated as Visitors during the next quarter. CHAPTER V. Committee on Expenditures. 1. The Committee on Expenditures will consist of the Secretary and one Director, the Treasurer being an ex-officio member. They will 7 elect a Chairman and will have supervision and control of all ex- penditures. They will not authorize alterations or repairs without personal inquiry and inspection, and will not approve any expendi- tures for such purposes not previously authorized by them or the Board of Directors. Current purchases of every kind will be made by the Treasurer, or by his written authority, his vouchers for the same requiring the approval of the Committee. CHAPTER VI. Visiting Committee. 1. The Visiting Committee will visit and inspect the Hospital as frequently as may be possible for them, or any of them. They will record in a book kept for that purpose their opinion of the condition of the Hospital and inmates, and such suggestions as may appear advisable. CHAPTER VII. Surgeon-in- Ch ief. 1. The Surgeon-in-Chief, being elected by the Board of Directors, will be an ex-officio member of it, but not entitled to a vote, but will be expected to be present at its meetings. Being responsible to the Directors for the proper conduct of the Hospital, he will have entire control of the internal police and management of the Insti- tution ; will engage, or cause to be engaged, all necessary cooks, nurses, and such other employes as may be required for the proper attendance and comfort of the inmates, and will have power to dis- charge for cause ; but the approval of the Committee on Expendi- tures is requisite before the employment of laborers or workmen on the buildings or grounds. 2. He shall visit every patient in the Hospital at least once every day. 3. No capital operation shall be performed, except in cases of urgent necessity, without the approbation of a majority of the Consulting Board present after due notification, nor shall any oper- ation be performed other than by the Surgeon-in-Chief, unless with his and their approval and consent. Unless in cases of emergency, no medical examination of patients shall be made, except by the Surgeon-in-Chief, or by his express direction in each case, and with 8 such of the Consulting Board as he may select to assist him. But no private patient shall be visited, examined, or prescribed for by other than the Surgeon-in-Chief, unless by special request of such patient, and in consultation with the Surgeon-in-Chief. 4. In order to render the Hospital, so far as may not conflict with the welfare of the patients, conducive to the advancement of med ical science, the Surgeon-in-Chief is authorized to give clinical in- struction to the students admitted to see the practice of the house, and will make and enforce such rules and regulations as will effect- ually guard against any examinations of patients by pupils, except under his own inspection, and all acts calculated to alarm or injure the patients. 5. The Surgeon-in-Chief will receive such salary as may be deter- mined upon by the Board of Directors. CHAPTER VIII. Resident Physician. 1. The Resident Physician will reside in the Hospital and receive his board and lodging free and such salary as the Board of Directors may determine. He will carry out the directions of the Surgeon-in- Chief and will keep an exact record of the medical and surgical treatment of each patient, devoting his time to the interests of the Hospital and its inmates. 2. He shall receipt for all surgical and medical property ordered by the Surgeon-in-Chief and required by the Hospital for its use, and no voucher for any such articles shall be paid unless indorsed by him as received for the use of the Hospital; and at the annual meeting of the Board he shall make an annual report, through the Surgeon-in-Chief, of all books, surgical instruments, medical stores, &c., in his possession ; and no such book, medical or surgical ap- pliance, or other property of the Hospital in his possession shall be removed from the Hospital, except upon the written order of the Surgeon-in-Chief, upon which shall be indorsed the receipt and security for their return in proper order by the parties desiring their temporary use. CHAPTER IX. Consulting Physicians and Surgeons. 1. The Consulting Physicians and Surgeons shall be considered as counselors of the Surgeon-in-Chief, and shall be invited to attend 9 at all capital operations, &c., and. no capital operation shall be per - formed against the advice of a majority of such Board present, ex- cept as specified in chap. 7, sec. 3. They shall give their counsel in all cases when called upon by the Surgeon-in-Chief. 2. Each Consulting Physician and Surgeon shall have the privi- lege of introducing students to see the practice of the house on the days and at the hours appointed by the Surgeon-in-Chief, with his consent. 3. One-fourth of the Board shall be on duty for three months each year ; during their term of service they shall inspect the Hos- pital in company with the Surgeon-in-Chief or Resident-Physician , once during each week, and on each visit they will report in writ- ing, in a book to be kept for that purpose, the condition of the pa- tients and building. They will also present at each annual and semi-annual meeting, to the Board of Directors, a report of the medical and surgical service of the Hospital. 4. At the request of the Surgeon-in-Chief, the Visiting Physician and Surgeon may visit any particular patient as often as he (the Surgeon-in-Chief) may desire; but in no case shall the Surgeon-in- Chief elect other than the Visiting Physician and Surgeon to make such visits, except by request of the patient, and with the approbation of such Visiting Physician and Surgeon. All consulta- tions shall be confined to members of the Consulting Board, except as above provided ; and no surgical operation shall be performed, except by the Surgeon-in-Chief, or at his request, by some member of the Consulting Board, or other fully recognized member of the profession, and with the approbation of the members of the Con- sulting Board present. CHAPTER X. The Matron. 1. The Matron is the housekeeper of the establishment, under the general direction of the Surgeon-in-Chief. She shall have the imme- diate oversight and direction of its domestic management, and shall superintend and direct the cooking and distribution of food; shall see that the supply is sufficient and of good quality, and in all cases precisely in accordance with the orders of the Surgeon-in-Chief. 2. She shall visit all patients in the Institution at least once every day; and if any complaints are made by the patients of inci- 2 C H 10 vility, want of proper attention, or improper conduct by the nurses, she shall report the same immediately to the Resident Physician and to the Surgeon-in-Chief on his next morning visit. 3. She shall have charge of and be responsible for all the furni- ture of the establishment, including bed-linen, &c., and shall report through the Surgeon-in-Chief at each annual meeting all such fur- niture received by her for the use of the Hospital during the year, also all that has been worn out and disabled; and no voucher for any such articles shall be paid unless indorsed by her as so received for the use of the Hospital. 4. The Matron will receive visitors, wait upon them through such parts of the building as the Surgeon-in-Chief may direct, and perform any other in-door service he may require. 5. She shall keep a correct account of the reception and discharge of patients and the terms of their admission ; make out the bills for their board, and receive payment for the same; and all moneys re- ceived by her belonging to the Hospital shall be paid to the Treas- urer at the end of each month or as much oftener as he may direct. CHAPTER XI. Nurses and Employes. 1. The nurses shall treat the patients with uniform kindness and respect, evince good-will, interest, and sympathy, and never address a patient coarsely or with rudeness. 2. Any complaints made to the nurses by the patients shall be immediately reported to the Matron. 3. Under no circumstances will a nurse or other employd be al- lowed to inform any visitor of the nature of the disease from which a patient may be suffering, nor will they be allowed to speak with disrespect of any officer of this Institution, under pain of immediate dismissal. 4. Employes will not be permitted to absent themselves from the Institution without first obtaining the consent of the Surgeon-in- Chief, or, in his absence, of his representative ; and in all cases they will be subject to such regulations as he may find necessary to es- tablish. CHAPTER XII. Eatients. 1. Patients will be admitted to private rooms in the institution on the payment of not less than $6 per week, the amount to vary 11 with the room occupied and the attendance required. Board pay- able weekly in advance. This includes medicines, medical and sur - gical attendance. 2. Patientswill be admitted to the free beds of the Institution by an order from the Secretary of the Interior or the Surgeon-General of the United States Army. 3. No patient will be admitted without being first examined by the Surgeon-in-Chief and receiving his approval. 4. Patients will be discharged by order of the Surgeou-in-Chief only. 5. No patient will be admitted who may be suffering from a con- tagious or permanently incurable disease. 6. No patient shall, against her will, or without her consent, be taken to the lecture-room as a subject for clinical instruction. CHAPTER XIII. Visitors. 1. Visitors may be admitted between the hours of 10 a. m. and 4 p. m. on Tuesdays and Fridays of each week, or at other times by special permission of the Surgeon-in-Chief. 2. No visitors will be allowed to carry articles of diet to patients unless by permission of the Surgeon-in-Chief or the Resident Physi- cian. 3. Patients will receive visitors in the parlor unless confined to their rooms. o