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ACT OF INCORPORATION
AND
LAWS
             OF THE




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PHILADELPHIA MEDICAL SOCIETY.
ARRANGED AND COPIED BY ORDER OF THE SOCIETY,
jffi™ . ■**••■• FEBR	UARY, 1800.		
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PHILADELPHIA:			
PRINTED BY H. MAXWELL,	NO. 25 NORTH	SECOND	STREET
	1804		
 
 
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         ACT OF INCORPORATION
                    %

                      OF THE


PHILADELPHIA MEDICAL SOCIETY.
   WHEREAS by an Act of the General Assembly of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; passed the sixth day
of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-
dred and ninety-one, entitled, "  An Act  to  confer on
"  certain associations of-the citizens of this  Common-
w wealth, the powers and immunities of corporations, or
" bodies politic in law,"  it  is enacted, " That  when any
" number of persons, citizens of this Commonwealth are
" associated, or mean io associate, for any literary, charit-
" able, or for any religious purpose, and shall be desirous
" to acquire and enjoy the immunities of a corporation or
" body politic in law, it shall, and may be lawful for such
" persons to prepare an instrument in writing, therein spe- ]
" cifying the objects, articles, conditions, name, style, or
" title  under which they  have associated, or mean to
" associate, and the  same to exhibit and present to  the
" Attorney-General of the  Commonwealth for the time
" being, for his perusal and approbation, and afterwards
" to the Supreme Court of the said  Commonwealth, for the
" perusal and approbation of said Court, which, if  finally
" aporoved, shall be  sent with certificates of such appro-.
" bation to the Governor of the Commonwealth, in order 
4
" to be by him transmitted to the Master of the Rolls, to
" be enrolled, and thence the persons so associating, shall
" become, and be a corporation or body politic in law and
" in fact."
  NOW,  in pursuance and  by virtue of the said recited
act of the General  Assembly  of Pennsylvania, the sub-
scribers constituting, an association under the title of " The
u Philadelphia Medical Society^" being desirous to acquire
and enjoy the powers and immunities of a corporation or
body politic  in  law, for the literary purposes of  their
society, do present this instrument in writing, containing,
as is hereafter set forth, the objects, articles, conditions,
style, or  title,  under which  they have associated!, to the
said Attorney and Supreme Court respectively, for their
perusal and  approbation,  to the intent that* they may
become, and be a corporation or body politic in law and in
fact, agreeably to the provisions in the said recited act.
That is to say,

                    ARTICLE  I.

' The  corporation  shall be styled,  " The Philadelphia
'*• Medical Society," and shall consist of all the members
of the association under that name,  and such other mem-
bers as shall hereafter be duly chosen, agreeably to the
Bve Laws of said corporation for  the purpose of their
mutual improvement in the science  of medicine, and for
the  promoting of medical knowledge.

                    ARTICLE  II.

   The officers of the corporation shall  consist of a Presi-
dent, two Vice-Presidents,  three Secretaries, one Trea- 
5
surer, and two Curators, which officers shall be chosen at
such times,  in such manner, and for such periods, respec--
tively, as the Bye Laws of the Society shall ordain.  But
all the officers now  in office, shall so  remain,  until the
next stated period of election.   The duties of the officers
respectively shall be such as the Bye Laws of the Society,
do or shall prescribe or ordain.

                    ARTICLE  III.

  The corporation shall convene every year at six o'clock,
P. M. of the  first Saturday of November,  and from that
time shall continue to meet, at the  same hour, and en the
same day in each week, until the last Saturday of the ensu-
ing February, in every year inclusive.   But there shall be
moreover two extraordinary meetings in each session, one
on the first Wednesday of December, and the other  on the
first Wednesday of February, at si:-: o'clock in the evening
of those days respectively, for the sole  and exclusive pur-
poses of making,  Or altering, and amending the  bye lav/s
of the society, and of electing the officers thereof.

                    ARTICLE IV.

  That the  said Corporation and their  successors,  by the j
name, style, and title aforesaid, shall forever hereafter be j
able and capable, in law and in fact, to sue and  be  sued,
plead and be impleaded,  in any court or courts, before any
judge or judges, justice or justices, in all manner of suits,
complaints,  pleas, causes, matters, and demands whatso-
ever; thev shall have power to make,  have, and use one
common  seal, with  such device and inscription as they
shall deem proper, and the same to break, alter, and renew,
at their pleasure;  they -dial! have  power and  nu-.hority -o 
6
make rules,  bye laws and ordinances; and to do every
Other act and thing needful for the good government and
support of the affairs of the  said Corporation: Provided
always,  That the said bye laws, rules or ordinances, or
any  of  them, be not repugnant to the constitution and
laws of the  United States,  and laws of this common-
wealth,  or to this instrument.

                    ARTICLE V.

  The said Corporation and their successors, by the name,
style and title aforesaid,  shall be able and capable in law,
according to the terms and conditions of this instrument, to
take, receive,  and  hold, all grants, gifts, devises, and
bequests, of real, personal, or mixed, estates, and to dis-
pose thereof in any lawful manner for the use of the Cor-
poration: Provided always, that the clear yearly value of
tfie estate, real, personal, or mixed, of the said Corpora-
tion, and the  interest of money by them lent, shall  not
exceed the sum of five hundred pounds.
  I have perused and examined the  preceding instru-
ment, and hereby certify, that I  am of opinion, that the
objects, articles, and conditions therein set forth and con-
tained, are lawful.
            JARED INGERSOLL,  Attorney-General.
  April 6th, 1792.

                         .. ,' ,i

  We the Justices of the Supreme Court of the common-
wealth of Pennsylvania, hereby certify, That at a Supreme 
7
Court held at Philadalphia, for the said commonwealth on,
the thirteenth day of April^ in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-two, an act or instru-
ment of incorporation of the Philadelphia Medical Society,
by  the  name and title of "  The Philadelphia  Medical
*' Society," signed by a number of persons, citizens of this
commonwealth, together with the opinion of  Jared Inger-
soll, Esquire,  Attorney-General of this commonwealth,
thereon was exhibited to  the*said Supreme  Court, who
having perused and examined the same, concur with him
in opinion, that the objects, articles, and conditions, therein
set  forth and contained are lawful.

                         THOMAS  M'KEAN,
                         EDWARD SHIPPEN,
                         JASPER YEATES,
I                        WILLIAM BRADFORD.
In the name, and by the authority of the commonwealth of
                    Pennsylvania.
              THOMAS MIFFLIN,
          Governor of the said commonwealth,
        .   To MATTHEW IRVIN, Esq.
  Master of the Rolls in and for the said commonwealth,
                   sends greeting:
  WHEREAS it has been duly certified to me, by Jared
Ingersoll,  Esquire, Attorney-General of the said common-
wealth,  and by Thomas M'Kean, Esquire, Chief-Justice,
and Edward Shippen, Jasper Yeates,  and William Brad-
ford, Esquires, Justices of the Supreme Court of Penn-
sylvania, that they have respectively perused and examined
the foregoing act, or instrument, for the incorporation of 
8
"  The  Philadelphia  Medical  Society;"   and that they
concur  in  opinion, that  the  objects,  articles, and  condi-
tions therein set forth and contained, are lawful.  NOW
KNOW YOU, That in  pursuance of the act of the Gene-
ral Assembly in  such case made and provided,  I have
transmitted the said  act, or instrument of incorporation
unto you, the said Matthew Irvin,  Master  of  the Rolls
aforesaid, hereby requiring you to enrol the same, at the
expense of the applicants, to the intent that, according to
the objects, articles, and conditions, therein set  forth and
contained,  the parties may become, and be, a corporation,
or body politic, in law, and in fact, to have continuance by
the name, style, and title, in the said instrument provided
and declared.

     Given under my hand, and the great seal of the state,
       at Philadelphia,  this  second day  of  June,  in the
       year of our Lord  one thousand seven hundred and
       ninety-two,  and  of the commonwealth,  the  six-
       teenth.
     By the Governor,
       A. J. Dallas, Secretary.

   Inrolled in the Rolls Office for the state of Pennsylvania,
in law book No. 4, page  465, &c. Witness my hand and
seal of office, the second  day of June, 1792.
MATTHEW IRVIN. 
THE
CONSTITUTION AND LAWS
FOR
THE GOVERNMENT
OF THK
MEDICAL SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA.
ANHO DOMINI 1804. 
 
1-11R
          CONSTITUTION,  &c.


   THE  society shall convene  every year,  on the first
Saturday of November, at six o'clock P. M. and continue
to meet on the same day of the week, and at the same hour,
until the last Saturday of February inclusive.  But a ma-
jority of the members present,  shall have power to call a
special meeting at any time they may think proper.
   The President shall take the chair and constitute  the
society precisely at ten minutes after six o'clock, and ad-
journ at ten, or before, if agreed on.
   The roll shall be called twice each evening by the secre-
tary, viz. immediately after the president has taken the
chair, and immediately previous to the adjournment of the
society.  Any junior member, in the city of Philadelphia,
or its suburbs, who fails to answer to his name, (except in
case of sickness,) shall be fined one  eighth of a dollar,  for
each offence.

                   OF OFFICERS.

   There shall be the following officers of this society, viz.
a  president,  two  vice-presidents, three secretaries, one
treasurer, and two curators.  The  above officers shall be
chosen annually by ballot, on the extraordinary meeting
to be held on the first Wednesday of February.

               OF THE PRESIDENT.

  The president shall preside at all meetings,  preserve
order, regulate the debates,  state and put questions agree- 
12
 ably to the sense and intention of the members.  He shall
 be compelled  to fine  any member acting  disorderly, in a
 sum not exceeding five shillings for each offence.

              OF VICE-PRESIDENTS.

   In the absence of the president, his duty shall devolve
on the  vice-presidents, so that  they shall preside alter-
nately  at meetings;  but if neither the president, nor vice-
presidents be present,  a  chairman shall preside, invested
with all the privileges and duties  of the  president.   He
shall be chosen in the following manner,  viz. at the com-
mencement of the first meeting of each session, the so-
ciety shall immediately proceed to elect a chairman, whose
duty it shall be to attend at the first roll call of each meet-
ing of the session on which he may have been chosen, for
the purposes of supplying the deficiencies as above spe-
cified.

                OF SECRETARIES.

   One of the secretaries  (to be chosen from among the ju-
nior members) shall attend each' meeting of the society, call
the roll, and take down the minutes, which he shall  read at
the next meeting, and (when corrected) copy  into a book
kept for that purpose.   He shall insert the  reports of com-
mittees at full  length,  together with  all motions,  having
the name  of the proposer and  the  person who seconds
them attached: he  shall likewise read  all letters  and
papers that may be communicated  to the  society,  and
transcribe into a proper book, such of them as the  society
may think worthy of being preserved:  he is also to  deliver
a correct statement of all the fines  incurred at each meet-
ing to the treasurer: he  is to announce  to the  society at 
13
the conclusion of each ordinary meeting the subject of the
dissertation next in order, together with the  name of its
author.  The name of the Secretary shall always be signed
to the minutes.  If he is absent at the time for constituting
the Society, he shall  be fined one dollar, unless in case of
sickness, of which he shall have given due notice by trans-
mitting  a  correct  statement  of the preceding meeting.
The other two  Secretaries shall give notice to honorary
Members of their election, write and answer letters in  be-
half of the  Society,- and in general manage all matters of
correspondence.

              OF THE  TREASURER.

   The Treasurer shall collect all monies arising from the
admission of fines of the Members, receive  all donations
of money that may be made to the Society, and shall pay
the same agreeably to their order, certified to him by the
President, Vice-President, or  Member who was in  the
chair when  such order  was made.   The Treasurer shall
keep a regular account of all monies received and paid by
him as aforesaid,  and once every year, or oftener if  re-
quired by the Society, shall render a statement to them of
the stock in his hands and the disbursements made by their
order; and shall deliver up to his successor the books and
all papers in his hands ; and for the faithful discharge of
his trust, shall, before entering on his office, give bond and
security to the President and Vice-Presidents, in double  the
sum with which they or any two of them shall judge he may
probably become entrusted during his said office.

                  OF CURATORS.

   The Curators shall take charge of and preserve for the
us<e of the Society, all property of whatever kind, it maybe 
14
(money excepted) of which the Society shall become pos-
sessed, and keep an exact list of the same, together with the
names of the respective donors, in a book provided for that
purpose, which book shall be laid before the Society as
often as called for. The  Curators upon entering upon their
office shall give such a receipt for every thing committed to.
their care or charge, as the Society may direct, and at the
end of the term shall deliver up the same to their succes-
sors.   For the faithful  performance of the duty and trust
reposed in them, they shall give bond to the President and,
Vice-Presidents in such sum  as they or any two of them,
shall demand.

   OF MEMBERS AND THEIR  ADMISSION.

   The  Society shall consist of honorary and junior Mem-
bers, the former to be exempted from all the duties  of the
latter, except that of  attending on committees when ap-
pointed: Any junior Member having attended the Society
the remainder of  the season on which he was elected, and
a succeeding one, or taken a degree in medicine, shall be
considered as an honorary Member.
   Any person who has obtained a degree in medicine, or is
eminent in the practice  of Physic, or  any one of the bran-
ches of the science of medicine, may be proposed as an
honorary Member : he shall be proposed on or before the
first Saturday in January, and shall be balloted for on the
second Saturday in February, and if elected by two-thirds
shall be informed of it by one of the corresponding Secre-
taries (at the command  of the President) by letter,  accom-
panied with a certificate from the Society.
   Any person desirous  of becoming a junior Member of
 this Society may be proposed; and if permitted to  read,
 he shall write a dissertation  on some medical subject, or 
15
subject' connected with medicine, and present  it at the en-
suing meeting of the Society;  the  nature  of  the subject
shall in every instance be announced, the name of the pro-
poser and of the person who seconds the nomination shall
be annexed to the name of  the candidate on the minutes.
  The examination shall  be  carried on  in the following
manner:—The candidate,  at the request of the President,
shall read his Essay to the Society, who shall immediately
proceed to examine him upon its. merits.   The President,
as soon as his dissertation  may have been finished, shall,
for the better ascertaining  the knowledge of the candidate,
propose to him five questions, of either an anatomical, prac-
tical, or physiological nature, whose truth  shall have been
ascertained by full timed experience and observation.  In
the selection of  such questions, the discretionary power
shall rest with the person then presiding ; the previous dis-
closure of  which shall incapacitate from a further continu-
ance in ofiice.  In the election  or rejection of a candidate
the Society shall regard as well his solutions of the ques-
tions as the merits of his piece  and defence.
  In the election of a candidate, a majority of two-thirds
of the  Members present (to be ascertained by ballot) shall
be requisite.  If admitted  he  shall deliver his treatise to
the Secretary, to  be  deposited in the hands of the Curators,
and shall also pay, previous to his taking his seat, (into the
hands of the Treasurer) five dollars, for the use qf the So-
ciety.  When admitted it shall  be optional with the Society
to enter into a general discussion of his piece.   No candi-
date, if rejected,  shall be permitted to apply for admission
till  the ensuing cession.    No  conversation or discussion
between Members shall be  allowed during the examination
of a candidate.   No candidate shall be admitted after the
first Saturday in January. 
*6
              OF DISSERTATIONS.


  Each junior Member, according to seniority, shall pre-
pare and read before the Society, a dissertation on some
medical subject, or one connected with medicine, under
the penalty of seven shillings and six  pence, unless  in case
of sickness ; but this shall not exempt him from bringing
forward his piece on the ensuing meeting, or from being
subject to a like  fine for each succeeding non-compliance.
Any honorary Member shall be entitled to the privilege of
producing or communicating to the Society, a dissertation
on any subject embraced by this Institution ; and in order
to encourage this practice,  the Society  will always  give
such dissertation a preference, both as to the time when it
shall be read and (if agreeable to the Member) discussed.
  At each meeting a dissertation shall be discussed, and
another, to be discussed at the ensuing meeting, shall  be
read by its author.  No Member of  this Society shall  be
at liberty to speak more than twice on any one point of de-
bate, without having previously obtained special permission
for  this purpose, nor more than once until all choosing to
speak shall have spoken.

      OF  EXTRAORDINARY MEETINGS.

  There shall be two extraordinary meetings in each ses-
sion, one on the first Wednesday in December, for the sole
purpose of altering or amending laws: and the other on the
first Wednesday of February, at six o'clock P. M. for the
purpose of altering and amending laws, and choosing offi-
cers. 
17
   No motion whatever, which relates to the alteration  of
 laws,  shall, on any account, be discussed, till it shall have
 been proposed at least one week previous to the extraordi-
 nary meeting.

                OF COMMITTEES.

   The mode of appointing Committees shall be as follows,
 viz. the President shall nominate one gentleman who shall
 be considered as Chairman, he shall name the second, and
 so on vintil the number agreed on be completed.  But if
 the business be of a very extraordinary and important na-
 ture, any Member may move  that the Committee be cho-
 sen  by ballot, which  shall  accordingly be done.  The
 Chairman of every Committee shall appoint a time for its
 meeting before he leaves the Society.   Committees shall
 have the power of imposing a fine of one shilling on any
 of their Members who absent themselves from their meet*
 ings.

                   OF MOTIONS.

   Any Member may make whatever motion he thinks will
 tend to the benefit of the Society ; his proposal or motion
 must be given to the President in writing; and  it shall im-
mediately be voted  or  balloted for,  unless  a majority of
the Members wish it to lie over for a week's consideration.
In either case  it shall be recorded on the minutes of tn%
Society.
   Every motion shall  be carried by  a majority of the
Members  present, except such as relate  to the  admission
of Members, of candidates to read, the expulsion of Mem-
bers, or such as may effect an  established law  of the Sa-
tiety ;  in which case two-thirds shall be required.
                         e 
18
                   OF DECORUM.


   No Member shall interrupt the President, or any other
 Member, while speaking; every Member shall stand erect
 when he speaks, and address himself uncovered to the Pre-
 sident, under the penalty of one shilling for each offence ;
 which sum shall be the fine annexed to all laws where none
 is specified.
   No Member or  Members shall  be permitted to sit or
 stand in the presence of the Society with his, or their heads
 covered;  and if any Member or Members shall so offend,
3ie or they shall be fined in a sum not exceeding fifty nor
rIess than twenty-five cents.
   No Member or Members  shall be permitted to retire
 after the calling of his or their names at the last roll, until
 the Society shall  have been adjourned by the President:
 And if any .Member or Members shall so offend, he or
 they  shall be fined in a sum not exccding fifty nor less than
 twenty-five cents.
   A  repetition of either one or both of the offences, speci-
 fied in the two last paragraphs, by any Member or Mem-
 bers, shall be considered, as a dereliction of that respect
 due the Society, and he or they so offending shall be fined
 in double the sum mentioned above.

  OF DONATIONS AND  COMMUNICATIONS-

   All communications and donations made to the Society,
 are to  be directed to the President, who shall deposite
 them in the hands of the proper officers, for the use of the
 Societv. 
19
        REASONS AND MANNER OF EXPULSION.


         Any junior Member who neglects to attend the Society
      for three successive meetings after his admission, and any
      Member who refuses to pay his fine or  fines, or to compht,
      in any particular, with the laws of the Society, shall be ex-
      pelled, unless reasons are adduced which shall be deemed
      satisfactory; but previous to his expulsion, on this account,
      information shall be given to the Society of such an inten-
\'*%.yVioh, and thijsNshalJ. be >XftseVted airal statedjQn*the>■ myiutes,
     •sene week after whiSjJrte sh**^ bfeexpeJ^e'd^hallJoose all
    * privileges as  a Member, and the word expelled shall he
■w^xA w^ttjgi^b^osjhte'hfs'hamfe^in.thVla'W^iook*     -. ) •      v  v"

*-\V*.*\     kA^F RESIG^ATIONSXv;v    ^

        II any Member is desirous ol leaving  the  Society, he    ■
;.\ ><^fr*a]|->signifj£<it in.a"writte^irr0^g^ation,r*^ich^ein|- read^ ,.
    W shall lie  oyer until the enslpng meeting ; when, by the con- «
>V'    sentfof the*'Society,' his^aine* sfiim beWijcfc tifffroift: the 1 ,'
      roll.   BhkJie shall not be permitted to resign,  unfil he has .\
\*■-■*■>. V^***?1'?     ^ A t V    \.w«y*V  ^>\ */••  »* ■-,"..."
 S    discharged the arrears due irojn him to the Society.         V

                     OF CERTIFICATES.                •<>**

4       Any Member; about to leave the University, wjio  has
     attended the  remainder o'f/the 'session in which he;was   ^
     elected, mayvapply for a certificateVo the junior Secretary,
   " which  slhalfbe given immediately, t^pch p^ihgifor it, pro-t ;,
vkted he be naf in arrears to the Society* 
20
       The following shall be the form,
           Societas Medica Philadelphiensis, Anno Domini
     M,DCC,LXXXIX, constituta, Omnibus qui haec legerent,
     Salutem.  Viro ingenio et ornatissimo socium quern in nu-
     merum nostrum accepimus, cujus ingenium felicissimum
     et diligentia indefessa  semper nobis oblectamento fuere,
     Iras literas lubentissime donamus, atque eum omnibus Phi-
     Ssophiae et Medicinse cultoribus solicite commendamus.
     In quorum Testimonium sigillum nostrum cum nomine*
     Presidis subscripto presentibus apponi fecimus.






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