Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

nearly affects the Happiness of Mankind.

Of the various methods of acquiring and diffusing Medical Knowledge, no one is more effectual, than a friendly Association of its Professors ; whose principal views in such Associations are to give and receive mutual improvement, to practise every liberal sentiment and universal Benevolence.

Such Associations must necessarily tend to eradicate many prejudices, and suppress many illiberal practices ; which have hitherto disgraced the Profession, and been of essential disservice to Mankind.

Fully impressed with a conviction of the truth and propriety of the foregoing comprehensive Observations; and to answer as

[handwritten in pencil, bottom right corner] BMS C76.4

much as in us lies those valuable purposes: We whose Names are hereunto annexed do form ourselves into an Association by the Name of "The Suffolk. Medical. Society."

And for the better regulation of said Society; We do establish the following Rules and Orders expecting an implicit observance by every Member.

1st. There shall be wo stated Meetings annually: viz. On the first Monday in November, and the first Monday in May: To be held at some convenient place within the County; the place of Meeting to be determined by a majority of Votes of the Members present at a stated Meeting, preceeding the proposed One.

and published by the Council. [8th?] The evident advantages resulting from a polite and friendly intercourse among the faculty, ought to induce every gentleman a member of this society to exercise all possible candour and civility on every occasion, and in the greatest degree of caution and delicacy whenever his opinion is desired where the [?] of either of the member is concerned. [9th?] In difficult cases the patient, friends or attending physicians may wish for advice; but the misconstruction of individuals and the [?] [?] overbearing conduct of the consulted physician we imagine has often times dissuaded from so laudable and [?] a measure. To remove popular prejudices; to protect the

character of the consulting, and determine the Duty of the consulted Physician; the following eve [conelur] ought to be considered as the reciprocal duty and office of each. 1st - When a consultation shall be desired by the patient or friends the election shall be submitted entirely to them, and no preference to any particular Member shall be directly or indirectly insinuated by the attending Physician; unless his opinion should be required; and the choice prefered to him: Under these circumstances it shall be lawful for him to call in any Physician he many think proper. 2dly That the Physician consulted after proper examination of the Patient.

own Patient and under his direction and therefore do no perscrible for him or her but when the attending Physician shall be present. 5thly That in all cases however when sudden and unexpected emergencies shall render immediate assistance necessary whilst the consulting Physician shall not be at hand. The foregoing obligation shall be dispensed with yet the consulting Physician shall be informed thereof as soon as convenient. 6thly That in all cases where any [Dyssention] may arise relative to the method of [case] which cannot otherwise be determined one or more Physicians be called in for [decision]; a reasonable preference being given to the Members of this society.

There shall be two stated meetings annually, orr, on the first monday in November and the first monday in May: to be held at some convenient place within the county. The place of meeting to be determined by a majority of votes, of the members [parental?] a stated meeting immediately preceeding the proposed one. Voted.

At the meeting in November there shall annually be chosen by ballot a President, secretary, and five counsellors: the President and secretary, [ex office?], being two of the five. Voted

It shall be the duty and office of the President to attend if [possible?], and preside at all meetings of the society, or will [oceanical an state?]: To preserve decorum, to receive and greet all regular seconded motions and give the [earning?] vote in all [seventh?] which cannot otherwise be determined. And seen [with?] such other power an he shall herafter be vetted with. Voted

It shall be the duty and office of the secretary, to attend, if possible, all meetings: and make and key a fair record of all the notes of the society. To receive and keep all papers the property of the society: by direction of the council, he shall make literary-communications after the same has been by them examinee and approved: and received communicate to the society any which may be made to them: he shall also notify each member direction of the council of the time and [?] of holding the next meeting a [?] a week be for j2 day and in general [?] shall signify the [B?] of j2 meeting. The secretary shall have vote in common with other voter members 5thby The Counsellors shall meet at least twenty days before each state meeting to collect and arrange the [B?] to be [F?] at the [?] meeting, and direct the secretary to notify the members accordingly. The counselors may meet at any time to consult on the property of calling [?]

But at the written request of any five member, delivered to the secretary, they shall call a meeting within twenty days of [?] being lodged with the secretary if the president shall be absent at any meeting the senior counselor shall preside. Voted. 6thby Each member shall attend, if convenient, at every meeting: and which the meeting is open shall behave with [D?]; shall not interrupt any member when speaking or speak himself without leave from [a?] of the president, and his speech shall be solely addressed to the president. Voted. 7th by It shall be the privilege of each member to propose any gentleman of the [?] [?] in the county, for admission: said proposal shall be made to the secretary, who shall publish it at the next meeting and no member shall [?] with the next state meeting after such proposal [h?] been published by the secretary; and then not without a majority of the written votes of the whole society.

But if there shall not be a majority of written votes of the whole society, present in favor of the candidates admission, the votes of the absent members shall be collected by the counsel and the [?] be by them determined and published. Voted 8th by The evident advantages resulting from, a [?] and friendly [?] among the faculty to involve every gentleman a member of this society to exercise all [p] candidates and on every occasion and in the greatest degree of [?] and delicacy whenever his opinion is denied when the character of either of the member in concern. 9th by In difficult [?], the patient or attending physician may wish for advice: But the miscommunication of individuals, and the illiteral overbearing conduct of the consulted physician, [?] imagine, has often times [d?] from [l?..] To remove popular prejudice, to protect the character of the consulting and determine the duty the consulted

Physician: the following, we concieve, ought to be considered as the [recipricol] duty and office of each 1st That when a consultation shall be denied by the [Pt] or his friends; the election shall be submitted entirely to them and no preference shall directly or undirectly be [initiated] by the attending physician. But as it sometimes happens that the Pt has no preference but refers the choice to the attending physician, under these circumstances it shall then be at his option to call in any physician or member of this society whom he shall think proper. 2ndly that the physician consulted, after proper examination of the Pt shall make such proposals respecting the medicinal [process] on he shall think necessary, in an apointment [separate] from the [sick] and not within the hearing of any [illegible] but [then] who may be employed in the consultation. 3rdly that the process agreed upon be uniformly pursued, unless some variation in the care shall