Suffolk Medical Society. Records, 1785-1789 (inclusive). B MS c76.4, Countway Library of Medicine.

Votes of the society: shall receive and keep all Papers the property of the Soceity; by direction of the Council, he shall make literary communications after they have been by them examined and approved; and receive and communicate to the Society any which may be made to them. He shall also notify each Member by direction of the Council of the time and place of holding the next Meeting, at least a week before [illegible] day, and in general Terms shall signify the Business of [illegible] Meeting. The Secretary shall have a Vote in common with other Members.

Fifthly. The Counsellors shall meet at least twenty days before each stated Meeting to collect and methodically arrange the Business to be

transacted at the ensuing Meeting, and shall direct the secretary to notify the Members accordingly. The Counsellors may meet at any other time to consult on the propriety of calling an occasional Meeting; but at the written request of any five Members delivered to the Secretary they shall call a Meeting within twenty days of [illegible] requests being lodged with the Secretary. If the President shall be absent at the Meeting the senior Counsellor shall preside.

Sixthly. Each Member shall attend if convenient at every Meeting, and whilst the Meeting is open; shall behave with decency, shall not interrupt any Member when speaking, nor speak himself without leave first

ablamed of the President and his speech shall be solely addressed to the President. It shall be the Privilige of each Member. to any Gentleman of the faculty residing in the County for admission: said [proposal?] shall be made to the secretary, who shall publish it all at the next states Meeting: and no one shall be admitted, as a Member 'till the next stated meeting after such [proposal?] hath 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 and the choice be [determined?]

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.