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CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF THE

Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania,

AND

CODE OF MEDICAL ETHICS,

WITH A

CATALOGUE OF THE PERMANENT MEMBERS, THEIR POST-OFFICE ADDRESS AND DATE OF MEMBERSHIP.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ARTICLE I.

TITLE OF THE SOCIETY.

THE name and title of this Association shall be "THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA."

ARTICLE II.

OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY.

The objects of this Society shall be the advancement of medical knowledge; the elevation of professional character; the protection of the professional interests of its members; the extension of the bounds of medical science; and the promotion of all measures adapted to the relief of suffering, the improvement of the health, and the protection of the lives of the community.

ARTICLE III.

MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.

SECT. 1. The Society shall consist of delegates and permanent members.

SECT. 2. The delegates shall receive their appointments from the county societies: Provided, however, that the officers of the Society, and the Chairmen of all committees who have reports to present, shall be delegates ex-officio; and to them and to the permanent members shall be intrusted the management of the business and affairs of the Society.

SECT. 3. Every delegate from a Society not in delinquence, before admission to a seat in the Society, shall produce a certificate of delegation signed by the president or secretary of his county society, and shall sign the rules and regulations.

SECT. 4. Every delegate shall hold his appointment for one year or until another is appointed to succeed him.

SECT. 5. Every member of a county society having once served as a delegate, shall thereafter be a permanent member of this Society, so long as he conforms to its regulations, and is in good standing in his county society, from which, before he shall be admitted to a seat at the sessions of this Society, he shall produce a certificate setting forth these facts. Any member of this Society may, by change of residence, transfer his membership to any other regular county society, without prejudice to his standing in this Society.

SECT. 6. Permanent members shall have all the privileges of delegates.

ARTICLE IV.

OF THE OFFICERS.

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SECT. 1. The officers of this Society shall be a President, Vice-Presidents, a Corresponding Secretary, two Recording Secretaries (one of whom shall be styled Permanent Secretary), a Treasurer, and Censors for each of the censorial districts.

SECT. 2. Each officer shall be elected by vote at the annual meeting of the Society, on a general ticket, and shall serve for one year, or until another is elected to succeed him.

SECT. 3. None but delegates and permanent members, who are in actual attendance, shall be eligible to the offices of President, VicePresidents, Secretaries, Treasurer, or Delegates to the American Medical Association or to the medical societies of other States; but permanent members, not present, may be chosen Censors, and appointed upon committees of the Society.

ARTICLE V.

OF THE COUNTY SOCIETIES.

SECT. 1. The members of the profession in any county of this State, who desire so to do, may form themselves into a county society: Provided, That public notice of the proposed meeting for the purpose be given, and that all the regular members of the profession in the county be invited to join therein. The said society may adopt rules for its government, provided the same do not contravene those of this Society; may elect officers, and do such other matters as shall be necessary to carry out the objects of their association: Provided also, That in any county where no society exists, the members of the profession in such county shall have the privilege of uniting with the Society of any adjoining city or county;

which membership shall continue during the time that no organized society shall exist in the county in which they reside.

SECT. 2. No one shall be admitted as a member of a county society, unless he is either a graduate in medicine of some respectable medical school, or has a license to practise from some board recognized by this Society, or has been a practitioner for at least fifteen years; and who, moreover, is in good moral and professional standing in the place where he resides, and is a regular practitioner. SECT. 3. Any physician who shall procure a patent for a remedy, or instrument of surgery, or who sells or deals in or uses or prescribes patent remedies or nostrums, or who shall enter into a collusive agreement with an apothecary to receive pecuniary compensation or patronage for sending his prescriptions to said apothecary, or who prescribes a remedy without knowing its composition, or who shall hereafter give a certificate in favor of a patent remedy or instrument, shall be disqualified from becoming or remaining a member of a county society.

SECT. 4. Every county society shall enforce the observance by its members of the Code of Ethics adopted by this Society; and shall be authorized to censure, suspend, or expel any member convicted of violating its provisions.

SECT. 5. Any member of a county society who is censured, suspended, or expelled, shall have a right to appeal to the censors of the district: Provided, the said appeal be filed within three months after the date of said act of censure, suspension, or expulsion. The decision of the censors shall be reported to the State Medical Society at its next meeting for final action. A majority of the censors shall constitute a quorum.

SECT. 6. Members of this Society shall be debarred from consulting or affording the privileges of professional intercourse with any member who has been expelled from his county society for professional misconduct, or violation of the Code of Ethics.

SECT. 7. Each county society shall have a right to make a fee-bill for regulating the charges of its members for professional services. SECT. 8. The county societies shall hold, at least, two meetings in each year.

SECT. 9. If any county medical society shall neglect to pay the assessment for the Transactions of any preceding year, or to perform all such acts as may be required to be done by the laws of this Society, or shall commit any act which may be considered derogatory to the honor of the medical profession, such county society shall, during such delinquency, have its privileges suspended, and its delegates shall not be entitled to seats at the sessions of this

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