The record of the last meeting was read. The Committee on Membership and Resignations reported the following Fellows as having arrived at the age of sixty, paid their dues, and expressed their desire to become Retired Members, and recommended that their request be granted, viz.: Dr. Andrew Mackie, "John C. Beach, New Bedford; Chelsea; Boston; Fitchburg; The Committee further recommended, that the request of Dr. C. McAllister, of Stockbridge, now sixty-nine years of age, to have his arrears remitted and to become a Retired Member, be granted. The same Committee reported upon the names of candidates for Honorary Membership. The Council proceeded to ballot, and Dr. Bernhard Roeser, of Athens, and Dr. Gaetano Valerj, of Rome, were duly elected. The Chair nominated the following Standing Committees: Dr. Jeffries offered the following resolution, which was adopted : Resolved, "That the Massachusetts Medical Society petition the Legislature to grant the petition of the Boston Sanitary Association, for the establishment of a State Board of Health, for the purpose of looking after the sanitary interests. of the people, with a competent Secretary, as the Agricultural Board and the Board of Education look after the interests of Agriculture and Education. "That the Board of Health have charge of the registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths, and the census of all the other vital statistics of the Commonwealth. "That the Board have some visitatorial power in connection with the Lunatic Hospitals, and all other State Charitable Institutions where the sick and suffering are kept. "That every member of the Medical Society be requested to use his influence with the senator and representatives from his district, to persuade them to support this measure in the Legislature. "That the several District Societies be requested to take action in behalf of this measure, and use their efforts for its adoption. "That a petition be drawn up for this purpose, signed by the President and Secretary, and sent by a committee to the Legislature, which committee be requested to appear before any committee of the Legislature and urge the adoption of this measure." Voted, "That the President be authorized to appoint a committee of five to present the petition, ordered by the above resolution, to the Legislature." The Chair appointed Drs. J. Jeffries of Boston, George Choate of Salem, Anson Hooker of Cambridge, Charles E. Stedman of Boston, and B. E. Cotting of Roxbury. The meeting dissolved. JOHN B. ALLEY, Recording Secretary. MARCH MEETING, 1861. A Special Meeting of the Councillors of the Massachusetts Medical Society was held at the Society's Room, in Temple Place, Boston, on Friday, March 15th, 1861. The President in the Chair. The following Councillors were present: B The records of the last meeting were read. The President stated that the object of calling a Special Meeting of the Councillors at this time, was to consider the subject of petitioning the President of the United States to enforce the law known as the "Drug Law," passed by Congress in 1848, and to recommend to him the reference of all candidates for the office of Inspector of Drugs, to the Medical Boards of Examination of the Army or Navy, who shall report their selections to the appointing power through their respective departments. Upon motion of Dr. J. Ware, of Boston, it was Voted, "That the President be authorized, in behalf of the Massachusetts Medical Society, to sign a petition to the proper authorities, comprising the subject now under consideration." Voted, "That a committee of three be chosen to meet and confer with delegations from local medical societies and the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, upon the subject of drafting a suitable petition to be addressed to the proper authorities at Washington." The Chair nominated Drs. Gordon and Crane of Boston, and Dr. Jewett of Northboro', and they were chosen. The meeting dissolved. JOHN B. ALLEY, Recording Secretary. ANNUAL MEETING, MAY 28, 1861. The Annual Meeting of the Councillors of the Massachusetts Medical Society was held on Tuesday, May 28th, 1861, at 72, P.M., at the Society's Room, No. 12 Temple Place, Boston. The President in the Chair, The following Councillors were present: The record of the last meeting was read. The Recording Secretary read the names of those who had joined the Society during the year, and of Fellows deceased since the last Annual Meeting. The Treasurer read his Annual Report, and mentioned the fact that a remittance sent by the Treasurer of the Franklin District, had failed to reach him, and requested instructions. On motion of Dr. Bowditch, Voted, "That the Society assume the loss." On motion of Dr. Jeffries, of Boston, Voted, "That the Treasurer be instructed to inform the Treasurers of District Societies, that hereafter all money transmitted to him, otherwise than by draft payable to his order, must be at the risk of the Treasurer thus transmitting.” The Treasurer also alluded to the fact that no moneys had been received from the Treasurer of the Berkshire District Medical Society for four years. On motion of Dr. Hooper, of Fall River, Voted, That a communication be sent to the Berkshire District Society, signed by the President and Secretary, stating this fact, and requesting an explanation." The Treasurer read the list of Fellows delinquent in the payment of their assessments. On motion of Dr. Ayer, of Boston, Voted, "That the Treasurer, in consultation with the Committee on Finance, be requested to prepare a list of those who are much in arrears, with reference to striking off their names from the list of Fellows." The report of the Auditing Committee was read and accepted. The Committee on Publications reported that two books had been selected for distribution to the Fellows for the present year-one, Dr. James Jackson's work on "The Utility of Medicine," would be distributed at the Annual Meeting; the other, Dr. William Read's work on "Placenta Prævia," would be ready in a few weeks. The Committee on Resignations reported that Dr. Nelson Carpenter, "Milton Fuller, Warren, Boston, had expressed their desire to become Retired Members, and recommended that their request be granted. The recommendation was adopted. |