CHAPTER II.

THE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETIES.

SUMMARY OF CONTENTS:

The Plan of Constitution for the County Medical SocietiesAn Ordinance in Relation to the Duties and Responsibili ties of the County Medical Societies-An Ordinance in Relation to the Public Health and the Collection of Vital Statistics Delegates and Their Expenses-The Dollar Dues of Members-Form of Application for Charter— Commentaries and Explanations-Remarks on the Foregoing Plan of Constitution for County Societies-Further Remarks on the Constitution of the County Societies-The Work of the County Societies-Further Remarks on the Work of the County Societies.

The fundamental law for the county medical societies is to be found in section xiv of the constitution of the State Association. Additional rules and suggestions for the government of the county medical societies have been promulgated by the Association; (1) In the shape of a plan of constitution for the county societies; (2) In the shape of an ordinance in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the county societies; and (3) In the shape of an ordinance in relation to the public health and the collection of vital statistics; all of which here follow in their proper order; together with such commentaries and explanations as may seem necessary in their elucidation.

THE PLAN OF CONSTITUTION FOR THE COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETIES. SECTION I.-Name and Seal.

ARTICLE 1. The name and style of this society shall be "THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF [BLANK] COUNTY."

ART. 2. The seal of this society shall be [Here insert the device of the seal, with the motto.]

SECTION II.-Objects.

ART. 3. The objects of this society shall be to organize the medical profession of the county in the most efficient manner possible. To promote professional brotherhood, and encourage a high standard of professional ethics. To secure careful and reliable accounts of the endemic and the epidemic diseases, and of the medical topography and climatology of the county. And to co-operate with the State Medical Association in its great work of regulating the qualifications of practitioners of medicine in the state, and in the supervision of the sanitary laws and interests of the state.

SECTION III.-Code of Ethics.

ART. 4. This society adopts for the ethical guidance of its members the Code of Ethics of the American Medical Association, together with such additional ethical rules as may be from time to time promulgated by said American Medical Association, and by the Medical Association of the State of Alabama.

SECTION IV.-Members.

ART. 5. All practicing physicians in good standing, who are graduates of reputable medical colleges, and no other persons, shall be eligible for membership in this society. But this article is to be construed in accordance with the second subsection of section four of the ordinance in relation to the boards of medical examiners, which is in these words: (2.) That all such persons as practice the regular system of medicine under the authority of certificates issued by the county boards of medical examiners, shall be eligible for membership in the county medical societies, at the discretion of the several societies themselves, the county boards of medical examiners being hereby constituted for this purpose "reputable medical colleges," in the sense in which that phrase is employed in section xiv of the constitution of the Medical Association of the State.

ART. 6. Every application for membership shall be made in writing by the person desiring admission, and shall be endorsed by two members of the society certifying to the reputable character, personal and professional, of the applicant.

ART. 7. The vote upon the admission of the applicant shall

be taken by ballot. If there are three adverse votes, the applicant shall be rejected. Otherwise, he shall be declared elected to membership, and duly notified thereof by the Secretary.

ART. 8. Every member shall pay into the Treasury an annual contribution of [five] dollars, which shall be due and payable on the first of January of each year; and if it be not paid by the first meeting in [April] of each year, the defaulter shall forfeit his membership, and his name shall be stricken from the roll of members; and of this he shall be duly notified by the Secretary.

ART. 9. Every member in good standing shall have, at any time, the privilege of resigning his membership; but if any member offering to resign stands charged with unprofessional conduct, or with unpaid dues, his resignation shall not be accepted,

ART. 10. Any member who in any way forfeits membership in this society, shall be reinstated only by formal application and ballot, as provided for by articles 6 and 7 of this constitution.

ART. 11. It shall be the duty of every member to attend the regular meetings of the society; to discharge such duties as the society may impose upon him, to the best of his ability; and to uphold in the community, as far as he is able, the honor and reputation of the society, and of the medical profession in general.

SECTION V.-Meetings.

ART. 12. The society shall hold its regular meetings four times a year, namely, on the first Tuesdays in the months of January, April, July, and October, respectively, but if it should be found impracticable or inexpedient to hold any of these meetings upon the days here designated for them, then such regular meetings so adjourned shall be held on some subsequent days, and as nearly after the regular times as can conveniently be done.

ART. 13. The regular meeting in January of each year shall be the annual meeting for the election and installation of officers, and for the reception, examination, and discussion of

the annual reports of the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the board of censors.

ART. 14. The regular meeting in April of every year shall be the regular meeting for the revision of the roll of members. At this meeting, the Treasurer shall report the names of all members whose dues for the year have not been paid, and all such shall be immediately stricken from the roll; and, furthermore, the Treasurer shall be personally responsible to the society for the duties of all members not so reported.

ART. 15. The President shall call special meetings of the society, on the written request of three members; and, also, whenever, in his judgment, it may become expedient to do so. SECTION VI.--Officers.

ART. 16. The officers of this society shall be a President, a vice-president, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and five censors; of whom the President shall be elected for one year, the vicepresident for one year, the Secretary for three years, the Treasurer for three years, and the censors for five years. But every officer shall continue in office until his successor is duly elected and installed.

ART. 17. The election of censors shall be so arranged that one vacancy will occur annually, by expiration of term to office; and, to fill this vacancy, one censor shall be elected at every annual meeting of the society for the election of officers.

ART. 18. When vacancies occur amongst the officers of the society, from any other cause than expiration of term, such as death, resignation, or impeachment, then elections to fill the unexpired terms so occasioned, may be held at any of the regular meetings of the society.

ART. 19. The election of officers shall be done in open meeting, by ballot, and without nomination; and a majority of all the votes cast shall be neccessary to election.

SECTION VII.-The President.

ART. 20. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the society. He shall preside at the meetings, preserve order, give the casting vote when necessary, and perform such other duties as parliamentary usage imposes on presiding officers.

ART. 21. He shall, at the close of his administration, at the regular meeting for the election of officers, submit to the society an annual message, devoted to an account of his stewardship, and to the discussion of the interests, objects and business of the society.

ART. 22. He shall, every year, upon his induction into office, appoint regular reporters on the diseases, surgery, topography, and climatology of the county; and upon such other matters of professional interest as may, in his judgment, require investigation.

ART. 23. He shall appoint, as occasion requires, the requisite number of delegates to represent the society in the State Medical Association, in the American Medical Association, and in such other scientific bodies as it may be expedient to have this society represented in.

SECTION VIII.-The Vice-President.

ART. 24. The vice-president shall, in case of the absence or death of the President, assume and discharge all the duties of the presidential office, and he shall be the active lieutenant and assistant of the President in maintaining the organization and discipline of the society.

SECTION IX.-The Secretary.

ART. 25. The Secretary shall have charge of all of the books, papers and records of the society, except those belonging to the office of the Treasurer and to the board of censors. ART. 26. He shall record the minutes of the proceedings of the society at all of its meetings.

ART. 27. He shall conduct the correspondence of the society under the direction of the President.

ART. 28. He shall have the custody of the seal of the society, and shall affix it to the official documents of the society, under the direction of the President.

ART. 29. He shall submit to the society, at every annual meeting for the election of officers, an annual report of the transactions and business of the society for the preceding year.

ART. 30. During his term of office, he shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues.