CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE INDIANA STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY ARTICLE I. TITLE. The name and title of this Society shall be THE INDIANA STATE MEDICAL SOCIETY. ARTICLE II. OBJECT. The object of this Society shall be to provide an organization through which the regular physicians of the State may be united in one great professional fraternity for the purpose of giving frequent and emphatic expression to the views and aims of the medical profession; to supply more efficient means than have hitherto been available for cultivating and advancing medical knowledge; for elevating the standard of medical education; for promoting the usefulness, honor and interests of the medical profession; for exciting and encouraging emulation and concert of action among its members for facilitating and fostering friendly intercourse between those engaged in it; for enlightening and directing public opinion in regard to the duties, responsibil ities and requirements of medical men; and for the promotion of all measures adapted to the relief of the suffering, and to improve the health and protect the lives of the community. ARTICLE III. MEMBERS. SECTION I. The members of this Society shall consist of delegates from the various county medical societies of this State, organized in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, who shall serve one year, or until the others are elected to succeed them. SEC. 2. All members in good standing in the auxiliary county societies shall be members of this Society in all its rights and privileges, except that none but delegate members shall transact the legislative business of the session. ARTICLE IV. COUNTY SOCIETIES. SECTION I. Any incorporated county medical society whose constitution embraces the objects of this constitution, and the code of ethics of the American Medical Association, shall, upon application become auxiliary to the State Society, and shall be entitled to one delegate for every five members, and one for every additional fraction of more than half this number. SEC. 2. The names of members of such county societies, with their postoffice addresses, shall be certified by their respective secretaries, and forwarded to the Secretary of the State Society, who shall enroll them in a book kept or that purpose; and each member shall be entitled to a copy of all the publications of this Society upon the payment of its assessments. ARTICLE V. OFFICERS. SECTION I. The officers of this Society shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Librarian. SEC. 2. Each officer shall be elected by a vote of a majority of all the delegates present, and shall serve one year, or until another is elected to succeed him. All officers elect shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices immediately on the final adjournment of each annual session of the Society. ARTICLE VI. DUTIES OF OFFICERS. SECTION I. The President shall preside over the meetings, preserve order, call meetings when in his judgment the interest of the profession may require it, and perform such other duties as custom and parliamentary usage may require. SEC. 2. The Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of his duties, and, in his absence, preside over the meetings. SEC. 3. The Secretary shall keep correct minutes of the proceedings of the Society, and, when approved, fairly transcribe them in a book kept for that purpose. He shall have charge of all books and papers belonging to the Society, excepting such as may properly belong to the Treasurer and Librarian, receive all moneys due the Society, and turn them over to the Treasurer, keeping an account of the same; perform all other duties which the usage of corporate or organized bodies may require, and serve as a member of the Committee on Publication. SEC. 4. the duties of SEC. 5. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary in the performance of his office. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys due the Society, and pay all bills approved by the Finance Committee and countersigned by the President, keeping a correct account, and making a full detailed report of the same to the annual meeting of the Society, and serve as a member of the Committee on Publication. SEC. 6. The Librarian shall have charge of all the books, manuscripts (not specially belonging to the Secretary and Treasurer), instruments, specimens, preparations, and other scientific property belonging to the Society, keeping a complete catalogue of the same, and report the condition of his department to the annual meetings of the Society. SEC. 7. The officers shall deliver all records, books, papers, funds and other property belonging to their several offices, to their successors, when they shall enter upon the discharge of their respective duties. ARTICLE VII. STANDING COMMITTEES. At each annual meeting the President shall appoint the following standing committees, each to consist of five members, and to serve until their successors are appointed, and enter upon the discharge of their duties, viz: A Committee on Arrangements, a Committee on Credentials, a Committee on Finance, a Committee on Ethics, and a Committee on Publication. ARTICLE VIII. DUTIES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES. SECTION I. The Committee on Arrangements shall, if no sufficient reasons prevent, be mainly composed of members at the place where the next annual meeting is to be held, and provide suitable rooms and accommodations for the meeting, and in all matters not otherwise provided for, superintend and protect the general interests of the Society. SEC. 2. The Committee on Credentials shall examine and report upon the validity of the credentials of the delegates from the county societies. SEC. 3. The Committee on Finance shall superintend the monetary affairs of the Society, inspect and audit all bills and the accounts of the Treasurer, and recommend the assessment of such pro rata tax upon its members as may be required to defray the current and incidental expenses of the Society. SEC. 4. The Committee on Ethics shall examine and report, for the action of the Society while in attendance upon its meetings, all cases of appeals from the county societies, and complaints against members for non-professional conduct. SEC. 5. The Committee on Publication, of which the Secretary and Treasurer shall be members, shall have charge of preparing for the press, and of publishing and distributing such of the proceedings, transactions and memoirs of the Society as may be ordered for publication. It shall supervise and edit all papers presented to the Society and ordered to be published, and report its doings to each annual meeting. SEC. 6. The standing committees shall keep regular minutes of their proceedings, and furnish an authenticated copy thereof, to be deposited with the Librarian. ARTICLE IX. VACANCIES. All vacancies in offices, occurring in the interim of the meetings, shall be filled by appointment of the President. ARTICLE X. QUORUM. SECTION I. Two-thirds of all the delegates shall constitute a quorum competent to alter or amend the constitution. SEC. 2. One-half of the delegates reported to the Secretary at any meeting shall constitute a quorum to transact any business, except to alter or amend the constitution. ARTICLE XI. POWERS AND DUTIES. SECTION I. The Society shall have full power, and it shall be a part of its duties, to adopt such measures as may be deemed most efficient for mutual improvement, and for exciting a spirit of emulation among the members of the profession; for facilitating the dissemination of useful knowledge; for promoting friendly intercourse among its members; for the advancement of medical science, and for securing the objects set forth in Article II. of the constitution. SEC. 2. It shall have power to censure or expel any member convicted of violating its provisions, or who may be guilty of any act which may be considered derogatory to the honor of the medical profession; to hear and decide appeals coming from auxiliary societies, and enforce the observance of the code of ethics. SEC. 3. It shall have power to raise money of its members by a tax which shall not exceed three dollars annually upon each member. SEC. 4. The Society shall hold at least one meeting annually, and more, if deemed necessary for the promotion of its interests. SEC. 5. It shall adopt a seal as the insignia of its corporate authority. SEC. 6. The time and place of each succeeding meeting shall be determined by a vote of the Society. ARTICLE XII. 66 FUNDS. The funds of the Society shall be applied exclusively to the promotion of its objects, as set forth in Article II. of this constitution. ARTICLE XIII. CODE OF ETHICS. The Society adopts, as a part of its regulations, the code of ethics of the American Medical Association. ARTICLE XIV. AMENDMENTS. Every proposition for altering and amending the constitution shall be made in writing, and if such alteration or amendment receive the unanimous vote of all the delegates present, it shall be adopted; but if objection be made, it shall lie over until the next annual meeting, when, if it receive two-thirds of the quorum for amending the constitution, it shall be adopted. ARTICLE XV. SEAL. The seal of the Indiana State Medical Society shall consist of a circular disc, two inches exterior diameter, with an ornamental border or margin. Within this outer margin shall be, in Roman letters, "Indiana State Medical Society. Organized MDCCCXLIX," Within this another circle with the motto in Latin, Roman letters, Physiologica medicina cautionis et curæ morborum vera scientia est." The center is occupied by figures of Esculapius with staff and scroll, Hygeia casting away the serpent, surrounded on base and sides by a wreath of leaves; to the rear and right of the figure of Esculapius an owl is perched. The following is an impression of said seal : |