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       1831. 
 
ACT OF INCORPORATION-
STATE OF RHODE-ISLAND, A. D. 1812.
 \u act to incorporate certain Physicians and Sur-
  geons, by the name of " The Rhode-Islajnd Medi-
  cal Society."
  AS  the Medical Art is important to the health and
happiness of society,  every  institution, calculated to
further its improvement, is entitled to public attention :
and as Medical Societies, formed on liberal principles,
and  encouraged by the patronage of the laws, have
been found conducive  to this end :
  Section 1.  Be it  therefore  enacted by  the General
Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted,
That Amos Throop, William Bowen, Pardon Bowen,
Levi  Wheaton,  Rowland Greene, Samuel Hudson,
Daniel Barrus, Joseph  Comstock, Niles  Manchester,
John Wilkinson,  John M.  Eddy, Thomas M. Barrows,
Charles Eldridge, Jacob Fuller, Moses Mowry, Peleg
Clark, John Mackie, Jeremiah Williams,  William C.
Bowen, Joseph B. Pettes, Walter Wheaton, Stephen
Harris, Sylvester Knight, Abraham Mason, Ezekiel
Comstock, Augustus Torry,  A. Waldron, Caleb Fiske,
Solomon Drown, Comfort A. Carpenter, Thomas Nel-
son, Thomas Warren.  John  W.  Richmond, William 
                         4

G. Shaw, (iyril Carpenter, Thomas Carpenter, Gorton
Jerauld, Chillingsworth Foster,  Lemuel W. Briggs,
John Aldrich, Eleazer Bellows, Eleazer Bellows, jun.
Jonathan Easton, Benjamin Waite Case, Enoch Haz-
ard, David King, William Turner, Edmund Thomas
Waring, and Jonathan Easton, jun. be and they here-
by are formed into, constituted and made, a body pol-
itic and corporate, by the name of " The Rhode-Is-
 land Medical Society ;"—and that they and their suc-
 cessors, arid such other persons as shall be elected in
 the manner hereafter mentioned, shall be and  contin-
 ue a body politic  and corporate by the same name
 forever.
   Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That  the mem-
 bers of said society may, from  time to time, elect a
 President, two Vice-Presidents, one or more Secreta-
 ries, with such other officers as they shall judge neces-
 sary and convenient;  and they,  the  members of said
 Society, shall have full power and authority,  from time
 to time, to determine and establish the names, number
 and duty of their several officers, and the tenure they
 shall respectively have in their offices.
    Sec.  3. And be it further enacted, That  the mem-
 bers of said  Society shall  have  a common seal, and
 power to break, change or renew the  same  at their
 pleasure.
    Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the said So-
 ciety may sue and be sued, in all actions, real, person-
 al or mixed, and prosecute and defend  the same unto
 final judgment and execution.
    Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the said So-
 ciety shall have full power and authority to make and
 enact such rules and by-laws, for the better  govern-
 ment of said Society,  as are not repugnant to the laws
 of this State, or of the United States,  and to annex 
.)
reasonable fines and penalties to the breach of thercij
not exceeding the sum of fifty dollars, to be sued for
and recovered by said Society, and to their  own use,
by action of debt, in any court, having cognizance of
the same ;  and also to determine the number requisite
to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business ;
and to establish the time, place and manner of conven-
ing the  said Society.
   Sec.  6. And  be it  further enacted,  That  the said
Society, at any stated legal meeting of the same, may,
by a majority  of the votes of those present,  elect any
suitable person or persons to be a member  or mem-
bers of the said Society :  Provided, That all practising
Physicians, or Surgeons, resident within this State.
who shall be so elected,  shall, within  one  year after
such election, subscribe the by-laws of the said Soci-
ety, or otherwise declare in writing their assent to the
same, or such election shall be void :  and all persons,
not practising Physicians, or Surgeons, or not resident
within this State, who shall be  so elected,  may be
deemed honorary members of the said Society ; and
at any such meeting, the said Society shall have pow-
er, in like manner, to suspend or  expel for improper
conduct, any member of said Society.
   Sec.  7. And be it further enacted, That the Presi-
dent and members of said Society, or such officers or
members as they shall specially appoint for that pur-
pose, shall have full  power and  authority to examine
all candidates for the practice of Physic and Surgery,
who shall offer themselves for examination, respecting
their skill in their profession ; and if, upon examina-
tion, the said candidates shall be found skilled in their
profession, and fitted for the practice of it, they shall
receive  the approbation of the said Society, in letters
testimonial, under the seal of said Society,  sinned by 
0
the President or such other person or persons as shall
be appointed for that purpose.
  Sec. 8. And be  it further enacted, That the said
Society may and shall forever be  deemed capable in
lawT, of having, holding and taking, in fee-simple, or
any less estate, by gift, grant or devise, or otherwise,
any land, tenement or other estate, real or  personal,
provided that the annual income of the whole real es-
tate, that may be given,  granted or devised to, or pur-
chased by the said Society, shall not exceed the sum
of five hundred dollars,  and the annual income or in-
terest of said personal estate  shall not exceed fifteen
hundred  dollars, and the annual income  or interest of
the said real or personal estate, together with the fines
and penalties paid  to said Society, or  recovered  by
them, shall be  appropriated to such purposes  as are
consistent with the end  and design of the  institution
of the said Society, and as the members thereof shall
determine.
  Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That a meeting
for the organization of the said Society, shall be held
in some convenient place within  this State,  and that
Dr. Amos Throop be and  he  hereby is  authorized to
appoint the time and place of holding  the  said  meet-
ing,  and to give notice of the same in two or more
newspapers printed in the towns of Newport and Pro-
vidence.
  Passed February Session,  A. D. 1812. 
      MEDICAL  POLICE, BY-LAWS, &«

  Whereas it is granted and declared, in and by the
Charter for incorporating a Medical Society in the State
of Rhode-Island, that the  fellows may enact such By-
Laws, Rules and  Regulations,  relative to the affairs,
concerns and property of said Society, and relative to
the duties of their several officers, as they may think
proper : it is therefore ordained, that the  following be
the Medical Police, By-Laws and Rules of the said
Society.
           CHAP. 1.  Of Meetings, &c.
Sec. 1.           Annual Meeting.
  There shall be  an  annual meeting of the Rhode-
Island Medical Society, to be held alternately in the
towns of Newport and Providence, on the last Wednes-
day in June, at ten o'clock, A. M. at such place as the
President may appoint; fourteen days notice being
previously given in two public papers, one printed in
the town of Newport and one in  the town  of Provi-
dence ; at which meeting, ten fellows shall constitute a
quorum for transacting business.
Sec. 2.          Order of Business.
  At the opening of the annual meeting, the Record-
ing Secretary shall read the proceedings of the last
meeting ; and the proceedings of the censors, and shall
receive the report of any  committee or committees.
A discourse or dissertation on some medical  subject
shall then be delivered by the person appointed for thai
purpose. The Society shall then make such alterations
in the by-laws as may be judged expedient—after which
at every triennial meeting, the election, by ballot, of of-
ficers for the three ensuing years  shall take place, in 
8
which a majority of votes shall constitute a  choice.
The Society shall then proceed to  the admission,  by
ballot, of the candidates, as fellows, or honorary mem-
bers of the Society, and no person shall be admitted a
fellow or honorary member, unless he shall obtain two
thirds of the  votes of the  fellows present.   After
which the Society shall attend to such communications
as it shall be thought proper to make, and to any pro-
positions, which may be  considered as conducive  to
the welfare of the Society, or the general interest of
medical science.
Sec. 3.  Election of Fellows and Honorary Members.
  Every person elected a  fellow of this Society shall
be notified thereof  by  the Corresponding Secretary,
and upon  declaring his assent in the  manner required
by the act of incorporation, and paying five dollars  to
the Treasurer for the use of the Society, shall  receive
from the Recording Secretary, a certificate in the fol-
lowing form, viz :
          STATE  OF  RHODE-ISLAND.
  This may certify, that A. B. of C.  in the  county of
D. was elected a fellow of the Rhode-Island Medical
Society  on the----day of--------, A. D.----, and is
entitled to all the honours and privileges of the Society.
  In testimony whereof, I  have hereunto set my hand,
and caused the seal of the Society to be affixed,  at
--------, this----day of--------A. D.----
                               E. F. President.
    Attest: G.  H. Recording Secretary.
Sec. 4.              Assessment.
  Every fellow of this Society shall  annually  contri-
bute two dollars to the funds of the Society, and shall
pay the  same to the Treasurer thereof, and no fellow
shall be allowed the loan of any book or other article
belonging to the Society, nor be allowed to vote at any 
                         9

meeting, or hold any office in the gift oVg Society.
until he shall have made such payment, al^ukscribed
his name to the by-laws, or expressed hVassent in
writing, directed to the Corresponding Seck^-y.
Sec. 5.            Resignation.
   The Society may, for satisfactory reasons, Vmit  a
fellow to resign his fellowship.               \
Sec. 6.             Expulsion.               \
   No fellow of the Society shall be expelled thereVmi,
but by a vote of two-thirds,  at least, of the fehNys
present,  at the annual meeting of the Society.    \
Sec. 7.            Consultation.                 \
   To promote the laudable designs for which the So
ciety was formed and incorporated, to prevent,  as fai
as  may  be, all unqualified persons  from practising
medicine or surgery, and in order to discourage em-
piricism, it shall be deemed disreputable and shall  be
unlawful for any fellow or licentiate of this Society, in
the capacity of either Physician or Surgeon, to advise
or consult directly or indirectly, with any person what-
ever, who shall  hereafter commence the practice  of
medicine or surgery within  this State,  until he shall
have been examined and approbated  by the Censors
of  the Society—and any fellow  of the Society, who
shall assist any person not so  qualified,  by affording
him advice or by consulting directly or indirectly with
him, in the capacity of physician  or surgeon, shall for
each and every such offence, be fined ten dollars, shall be
disqualified from giving his vote at any meeting of the
Society for two years, shall  be liable to the censure
and reprimand of the Society, and in aggravated cases,
to expulsion.  And any licentiate who shall be guilty
of the above offence, shall be  liable  to be deprived of
all the rights and privileges which he derives from the
Society.   And it shall be the  duty of the  Censors  ex 
10
officio, to examme mt0 every case of the violation of
this law t/'at  mav come to their knowledge ; and if
they sho^d* neglect to do so, they shall be liable to a
fine of t^n dollars for every case.
Sec. 8.              Quackery.
  Whenever any fellow  of the Society shall publicly
advc'li'Se,  for sale, any medicine, the composition of
whjjh he keeps a secret,  or  shall offer, in like manner,
to -ure any disease, by any such  secret medicine,  he
shall be liable to expulsion, or such  other penalty  as
tie Society, at their annual meeting, may think proper
<o inflict.
          CHAP.  II. Of Medical Police.
Sec. 1.             Consultations.
  Consultations should be encouraged in difficult and
protracted cases, as they tend to produce  confidence,
energy, and more enlarged views in practice.  On such
occasions no rivalship or jealousy should be indulged ;
candour, justice, and all due  respect should be  exer-
cised towards  the Physician who first attended ; and
as he may be presumed to be best acquainted with the
patient and his family, he should deliver all the  medi-
cal  directions  as agreed  upon  in the presence  of the
consulting Physician.  It should be the province, how-
ever, of the senior consulting Physician to propose the
necessary questions to the sick.  The consulting Phy-
sician is  never to visit without the attending, unless by
the  desire of the latter, or when, as in  sudden  emer-
gency, he is not to be found ; nor is he  to discontinue
his  visits without the knowledge and approbation of
the  patient or family at the time.  No discussion  of the
case should take place before the patient or  his friends;
and no prognostications  should be delivered,  which
were not the result of previous deliberation  and con- 
                        11

currence.   Theoretical debates, indeed, VvUid gene-
rally be avoided in consultations, as occasA^ per-
plexity and loss of time ;  for there may be \cn  di-
versity of opinion on speculative points, with*erfect
agreement on those modes of practice which aVfoun-
ded not on hypothesis, but on experience  and \Ser-
vation.   Physicians in consultation, whatever mh be
their private resentments or opinions of one anoVer,
should divest themselves of all  prejudices, and tn^k
of nothing but what will most effectually contribute
the relief of those under their  care.  If a Physich
cannot lay his hand  to his heart and say, that his mini
is perfectly open to conviction,  from whatever quartei
it may come, he should in honour decline  the consul-
tation.
  AH discussions and debates in consultation are to be
held confidential.  Many advantages may  arise from
two consulting together, who are men of candour, and
who have mutual confidence in  each other's  honour.
A remedy may occur to one, which did not to the oth-
er ; and a Physician may want resolution or confidence
in his own opinion, to prescribe a powerful but preca-
rious remedy; on which, however,  the life of his pa-
tient may depend : in this case,  a concurrent opinion
may fix his own.   But when  such mutual  confidence
is wanting, a consultation had better be  declined, es-
pecially if there is  reason to believe, that  sentiments
delivered  with openness  are  to  be communicated
abroad, or to the family concerned ; and if, in conse-
quence of this, either gentleman is to be made respon-
sible for the  event.  The  utmost punctuality should
be observed in consultation visits.
Sec. 2.            Interferences.
  Medicine is a liberal profession ; the practitioners
are, or ought to  be,  men of education ;  and their ex- 
12
   pectations°*" business and employment  should be
   founded a tne*r degrees of qualification ;  not on arti-
   fice, intJoue an(l insinuation.   A certain  undefinable
   specie; °f assiduities and attentions, therefore, to fam-
   ilies pually employing  another, is to be considered
   bene'th. the dignity of a regular practitioner, and as
   majmg a mere trade of a learned profession ; and all
   offi;ious interferences in cases of sickness in such
   families, evince a meanness of disposition, unbecom-
   ing the character of a  Physician and  a  gentleman.
   ft o meddling inquiries should be made concerning them,
   lor hints given relative to their nature and treatment,
  nor any selfish conduct pursued, that may directly or
  indirectly tend to weaken confidence in the Physicians
  or Surgeons who have the care of them.
    It shall be the duty of the Physician who may be
  called to a  family usually attended by another gentle-
  man of the  faculty, to ascertain whether he is so called
  from an actual preference, or  in consequence  of the
  absence or inability of the family Physician to attend ;
  and if the  latter should prove  to  be the case, it shall
  be his duty to inform them of the propriety of repeating
  their call upon him as  soon as his  services may be
  procured.
    When a  Physician is called  to  a patient,  who has
  been under the care of another gentleman of the  fac-
  ulty, before any examination of the case, he should as-
  certain whether that gentleman has  discontinued his
  visits, and whether the patient  does or ought to  con-
  sider himself as under his care; in which case, he is not
- to assume the charge of the patient, nor to give hi-
  advice (except in instances of sudden attacks) without
  a regular consultation;  and if such previously attend-
  ing gentleman has been dismissed, or has  voluntarily
  relinquished the patient, his practice should be treated 
13
with candour, and justified so far as truth and probity
will permit;  for the want of success in the primary
treatment of the disorder, is  no impeachment of pro-
fessional skill and knowledge.
  It frequently happens that a Physician, in incidental
communications with the patients  of others, or  with
their friends, may have their cases  stated to him  in so
direct a manner, as not to admit of his declining to
pay  attention to them.   Under such  circumstances,
his observations should be delivered with delicacy, pro-
priety and reserve, and with the greatest care that they
shall not interfere with the curative plan pursued.
Sec. 3.       Differences of Physicians.
  The differences of Physicians, when they end in ap-
peals to  the public, generally injure  the contending
parties ;  but what is of more  consequence, they dis-
credit the profession, and  expose the faculty itself to
contempt and ridicule.   Whenever such differences
occur, as  may affect the honour and dignity of the pro-
fession, and cannot immediately be terminated, or  do
not come under the character of violations of the spe-
cial rules of the  Society  otherwise provided for, they
should be referred to the arbitration  of a sufficient num-
ber of members of the Society, according to the nature
of the dispute ; but, neither the subject  matter of such
references, nor the adjudication, should, if it can  be
avoided, be communicated to the public, as they  may
be personally injurious to the individuals  concerned,
and can hardly fail to hurt the general credit of the
faculty.
Sec. 4.     Discouragement of Quackery.
  The use of quack medicines should be  discouraged
by the faculty, as disgraceful to  the profession, injuri-
ous to health, and often destructive of life.  No  Phy-
sician or Sure-eon, therefore, should dispense a secret 
i4
nostrum, even if it be his invention or exclusive proper-
ty ;  for if it is of real efficacy, the concealment of it is
inconsistent with beneficence, and professional liberal-
ity; and if mystery alone give it value and importance,
such craft implies disgraceful ignorance, or fraudulent
avarice.
Sec. 5.    Conduct for  the support of the  Medical
                    Character.
  The esprit du corps is a  principle of action founded
in human nature, and when duly regulated, is both ra-
tional and laudable.  Every man who enters  into a
fraternity engages by a tacit compact, not only to sub-
mit to the laws, but to promote the honour and inter-  '
est  of the Society, so far as they are consistent with
morality and  the general good  of mankind.  A Phy-
sician, therefore, should cautiously guard against what-
ever may injure the general respectability of  the pro-
fession,  and should avoid all contumelious representa-
tions of the faculty at large, all general charges against
their selfishness or improbity, or the  indulgence of an
affected or jocular scepticism, concerning the efficacy
and utility of the healing art.
             CHAP. III.   Of Officers.
Sec. 1.                Officers.
  Triennially there shall be chosen a President, and
two Vice-Presidents, a Recording Secretary, Corres-
ponding Secretary, Treasurer, Librarian and Cabinet-
Keeper for the Southern, and Librarian and Cabinet-
Keeper for the Northern District, and eight Censors,
four for the Southern and four for the  Northern Dis-
trict.  The President  and Vice-Presidents shall be in-
eligible to the  same offices for the next ensuing term
of three years. 
15
Sec. 2.              President.
  The President shall  have power to call a  special
meeting of the Society, whenever he shall deem it ex-
pedient, or whenever five  fellows shall  request  it in
writing—shall preside  at all meetings of the Society—
shall regulate all debates thereat—shall state and put
questions—shall call for reports of committees—shall
enforce an observance  of the by-laws and regulations
—shall have  custody of and use, on proper occasions,
the seal of the Society—shall have  a casting vote—
shall perform all such duties as may  be assigned him,
and shall be  ex officio first orator at  the next annual
meeting  after his election.
Sec. 3.           Vice-Presidents.
  The first Vice-President, in case of the death, resig-
nation, disability or absence of the President,  shall
have and exercise all his powers, until  a new choice
shall be made ; and in the absence of those two offi-
cers, the second Vice-President shall officiate as Pres-
ident.
Sec. 4.        Recording Secretary.
  The Recording Secretary shall have charge of the
charter, by-laws and records of the Society—shall no-
tify all meetings of the Society—shall keep a fair re-
cord of their proceedings—shall receive and record the
proceedings of the Censors, which he shall read at the
next annual meeting;  and also such communications
as have been made since the last meeting—shall, after
any person is elected a fellow  or honorary member,
transmit information thereof, together with a  copy of
the charter and by-laws of the Society, to the  Corres-
ponding  Secretary—shall  notify the chairmen of all
committees, furnish the names  of the committee, and
perform any other services which maybe assigned him. 
10
Sec. 5.       Corresponding Secretary.
  The Corresponding Secretary shall have the charge
of all letters and communications transmitted to the
Society—shall cause papers written in any foreign lan-
guage to be translated into English—shall prepare and
transmit answers to correspondents, in such language
and form as the Society shall direct—shall notify,  as
soon as may be, every person elected a fellow or hon-
orary member, of his election  and the time  when it
was made, and at the same time transmit him a copy
of the charter and by-laws, and perform such other
duties as may be assigned him.  If, at any time, either
of the Secretaries should be absent, the one attending
shall perform the services of  both, but shall, as soon
as may be, arrange and deliver over the papers of their
respective departments.   The Secretaries may  also,
with the consent of the President, furnish attested co-
pies of papers and transactions belonging to their re-
spective departments, for which such fees may be de-
manded as the Society shall establish.
Sec. 6.              Treasurer.
  The Treasurer shall give security for the trust re-
posed in him, whenever the Society shall judge it re-
quisite, and the funds will admit a compensation for
his services—shall demand and receive all monies due
to the same, together with  all bequests and  dona-
tions—shall demand, and if necessary, sue for and re-
cover all fines due to the Society—shall,  under the di-
rection of the Society, sell or lease any estate belong-
ing to them, and execute  the necessary papers—shall,
in general, have the care  and  management of all fis-
cal concerns, and keep an accurate statement of all re-
ceipts and expenditures—shall pay no money out of
the Treasury, but by an order from the President, and
shall exhibit his  books and papers at every annual 
17
meeting.  His accounts shall be examined and report-
ed annually to the Society, by a committee appointed
for that purpose.
Sec. 7.    Librarians and Cabinet-Keepers.
  The Librarians and Cabinet-Keepers shall have in
their charge and custody, the books, instruments and
apparatus of the Society—shall keep an accurate reg-
ister of and arrange them in  a proper  manner—shall
make such disposal of them from time to time, as the
Society may direct, and make an annual  statement of
the business of their departments to the Society, and
shall carefully record all donations made thereto.
Sec. 8.    Resignation, Removal and Replacement of
                     Officers.
  Every officer of the Society may, for sufficient rea-
sons,  resign his office, or may be removed therefrom
by order of the Society, for neglect, inattention ormal-
conduct; in either  of which cases, or on the death of
any officer, the  President shall appoint a fellow to the
office so vacated, who shall serve until the next trien-
nial election.
   CHAP. IV.   Of Censors,  Examinations,  and
                    Licenses.
Sec. 1.           Censors' Meetings.
   There shall be three meetings of the  Censors for
the examination of candidates for the practice of med-
icine, surgery and midwifery, and  for the transaction
of such  other  business as may come  before  them.
The four Censors for the Southern district shall meet
in the town of Newport, on the last Wednesday in Oc-
tober, and those for the  Northern district shall meet in
the town of Providence, on the last  Wednesday in
Februarv.  And there  shall be  a  general meetinsr of 
1U
the Censors  of both districts, on  the  evening  nexi
preceding the Annual Meeting of  the Society, to be
held alternately at Newport and Providence ; ten days
at least previously to these meetings,  notice thereof
shall be given in two public papers,  one printed in the
town of Newport, and one printed in the town of Pov
idence, specifying the place and time of day, at which
such meetings are to  be  held.  Three Censors  shall
constitute a quorum at the district, and five at the gen
eral meetings; and the  senior  Censor  present  shall
preside  and may appoint either of the other Censor.'
present, to officiate as Secretary, whose  duty it  shall
be to keep a  faithful record of all the proceedings  of
the Censors,  and  from  time to time transmit a copy
of the same to the Recording Secretary.  Every Cen-
sor, who shall neglect or refuse to attend any of those
meetings which he is bound  to attend for the exami-
nation of candidates, &c. without offering an excuse,
which shall  be satisfactory to  those who do attend,
shall pay a fine of five dollars for the use of the Society.
Sec. 2.   Candidates and their Qualifications.
  No person  educated within this State, shall be ad-
mitted to an examination by the Censors of the Soci-
ety, unless he shall have the following qualifications :
1st. He shall have such an acquaintance with the Greek
and Latin languages as is necessary for a medical and
surgical education. 2d. He  shall have studied three full
years under the direction and attended the practice of
some one or more of the fellows or honorary members of
the Society ;  during which  time, he  shall have studied
the most approved authors in Anatomy, Physiology,
Surgery, Midwifery, Chemistry, Materia Medica, Bot-
any and the Theory and  Practice of Medicine ;  or at
least all those, which the  Censors shall  from time to
time specify,  as constituting a proper course of med- 
19
 ical or surgical education.  No person educated out of
 this State, shall  be admitted to an examination by the
 Censors of the Society, unless he shall have the quali-
 fications specified in the first of the articles above men-
 tioned ; and instead of those required in  the  second,
 shall have studied three full years under the direction
 and attended the practice of some reputable Physician
 or Physicians, Surgeon or Surgeons, as the  case  may
 be.  The Censors of the Society,  before  examining
 any candidate, shall demand and receive from him, a
 satisfactory certificate of his being qualified as above
 mentioned ; and  such certificate shall be recorded by
 the Secretary of the meeting, and be afterwards deliv-
 ered to the Recording Secretary, whose duty  it shall
 be, to put it on file and make a record thereof.
 Sec. 3.            Censors' Duty.
  It shall be  the  duty of the Censors  to act  as a com-
 mittee, ex officio, or court of enquiry, for the purpose
 of receiving charges of any unprofessional conduct of
 the members and licentiates;  and if they  should  con-
 sider them as sufficiently substantiated, to  report the
 same to the  Society  at  the  next annual  meeting;
 and should such charges be preferred at  any district
 meeting, it shall  be incumbent on the Censors to no-
tify  the  person,  implicated, of the existence of such
 charges, at least  within one month  after said  district
meeting, in order that he  may be present and  prepar-
ed  to  defend himself at  the  next  succeeding annual
 meeting.
  The Censors of the Society shall examine candidates
qualified as specified in the preceding section.  They
shall previously agree on the mode  of examination,
and having approved a candidate, shall, on  receiving
by their Secretary, ten dollars, to be paid to the Trea-
surer for the  use  of the Society, furnish the  person. 
20
so approbated with a certificate thereof, which shall be
recorded by the Recording Secretary ;  and also, with
another  certificate or letter testimonial, printed or
completed in the form following:—
                CERTIFICATE.
  We the  subscribers, Censors of the Rhode-Island
Medical  Society, duly appointed and authorized, have
examined A. B. of C. in the county of D. a candidate
for the practice of------and having found him  quali-
fied, do approve and license him as a  practitioner in
----agreeably to  the law in that  case made and pro-
vided.  Dated at E. this----day of----A. D. 18—
                              F. G.I
                              H.J. '
                              rr j  } Censors.
                              M. N. j
  By virtue of the power in me vested, I  have hereunto
affixed the seal of the Rhode-Island  Medical Society.
                                O. P. President.
Attest, Q. R. Recording Secretary.
  Or if the approved candidate  should choose to have
his credentials  in Latin, they shall be in the form fol-
lowing—
  Omnibus ad quos hse literae pervenient, salutcm—
Notum esto, quod nos—Censores, A. B. in C. comita-
tus D. in Republica  nostra  habitantem, de ratione et
progressu ipsius studiorum  in  re----exquisivimus ;
et quod eum, ad omne munus facultatis----paratum ;
et instructum esse  censemus ; nos, itaque, merito, po-
testates omnes  ac privilegia----exercendi et profi-
tendi, pro auctoritate, nobis (legibus  Republica?) con-
credita, damus ei, et concedimus.
  In cujus rei testimonium nostra nomina subsignavi-
mus, apud B. die----A. D. 18—
                              E. F.}
                              G.H. {  r

                              L. M. J 
21
   In  quorum  omnium et singulorum, fidem ad pre-
 sentes literas, sigillum Societatis manumque  meum
 apposui.
                                   N. O. Presses.
 Attestat, P. Q,. Protonotarius.
   The Censors of the Society, upon  application from
 any person, who  has been educated in,  or who shall
 come from any other State,  or foreign country, shall
 examine such evidence or letters testimonial, as he
 shall  offer for the purpose of proving himself to be
 duly qualified to  practice Medicine,  Surgery or Mid-
 wifery ; and if, upon due enquiry? they shall deem him
 to be properly qualified therefor, they shall certify the
 same ; and the person so licensed, shall be entitled to
 all the privileges  of those, who have  been regularly
 examined  and approbated, and for every license so
 granted, the  Censors shall receive  the sum of three
 dollars, to  be  paid to the Treasurer for the use of the
 Society.
 Sec. 4.             Nomination.
   It shall also be the duty of the Censors to  receive
 applications for the admission of any person or persons,
 as  fellows  or honorary members  of the Society, to
 make a report of the same, if approbated,  to be trans-
 mitted by the  Secretary of the Censors to  the Record-
 ing Secretary  ; which report shall have the effect of a
 nomination, and be acted upon at the next general
 meeting of the Society; Provided the application for
 the admission of any candidate into the Society shall
 have been made three months previous to  such meet-
 ing ; and no application shall be received by the Cen-
 sors and reported for consideration, unless it is in wri-
ting and signed by one or more of  the  fellows of the
 Society. 
 r*Yc.  5.   Specification  of Authors  to  be  studied by
                    Candidates.
   It shall furthermore be  the duty of the Censors, for
 the time being, once in every three years at  least, to
 specify such authors in Anatomy, Chemistry, Materia
 Medica, Botany, Surgery, Midwifery, and the Theory
 and Practice of Medicine, as they shall  judge proper
 and necessary, to be studied by Medical and Surgical
 Pupils, previously to, and to qualify them for, an ex-
 amination before the  Censors,  and  they shall  cause
 this  specification to be published in  one of the news-
papers printed in the towns of Newport and Providence.
 Sec.  6.             Discourse.
   With the concurrence of the President, it shall al-
 so be the  duty of the Censors, to appoint  annually a
 suitable person or persons, to read a discourse or dis-
 sertation  on  such Medical  subject as the  person so
 elected, may choose, before the fellows of the Society,
 at their annual meeting, excepting when the President
 is ex officio first orator,  and a copy of every such dis-
 course or  dissertation, when read,  shall be deposited
by its author, with the Corresponding Secretary,
 Sec.  7.         Authors to be read.
  The following are the books  recommended to  be
studied by Medical and  Surgical Pupils,  to qualify
them  for an examination before the  Censors of the
Society:
  Anatomy.—Bichat's General Anatomy.   Wistar's,
John and Charles Bell's Anatomy.
  Physiology.—Magendie's,  Bostock's, Richerand's
and Blumenbach's (by Elliotson.) Bichat on Life and
Death.
  Chemistry.—Henry's, Turner's,  Reid's,  Silliman's.
and Webster's Brande.
  Materia Medica and Pharmacy.—Murray's Materia
Medica.  Eberle'sdo.  Thacher's Dispensatory.  Phar- 
23
 iiiacopoeia of the United States.  Bigelow's Sequel
 Paris's Pharmacologia.
  Surgery.—Dorsey's Surgery.   Gibson's  Surgery.
 Cooper's first  lines.   John Bell's Surgery.  Boyer's
 Surgery. Cooper's and Travers's Surgical Essays. Ast-
 ley Cooper's Lectures, by Tyrrell.  Dessault or Boy-
 er on Diseases of the Bones.   Hunter, B. Bell  and
 Swediaur on Syphilis.  Charles Bell's Operative Sur-
 gery.  Averill's do. do.   Hunter on the Blood.
  Midwifery.—Denman's,   Smellie's,  Dewces'  and
 Burns's.
  Pathology and Therapeutics.—Cullen's  first lines.
 Cullen's Nosology.   Good's Study  of Medicine and
 Nosology.  Dewees' Practice of Physic.  Chapman's
 Therapeutics.  Fordyce on Fever.  Southwood Smith's
 Treatise on do. Armstrong on Typhus and Consump-
 tion.  Laennec on the Chest.  Underwood on the Dis
 eases of children.  Dewees' on do
  Medical Jurisprudence.—Paris's and Fonblanque's
 Work.   Beck on do.
  The following books are recommended to be read bv
 Students.
  Anatomy.—Chcsselden's Anatomy.   Beclard's Ge-
 neral Anatomy.  Bailey's Morbid Anatomy.  Blumen-
 bach's, Monro's, Lawrence's and Cuvier's Comparative
 Anatomy.  Bell's Dissections.   London  Dissector.
 Horner's Anatomy.
  Physiology.—Haller's Physiology.  Sheldon on the
 Absorbents.  Cruikshanks on the Absorbents.
  Chemistry.—Lavoisier's Chemistry.   Thompson's
 Chemistry. Davy's Elements of Chemical Philosophy.
 Ure's Chemical Dictionary. Murray's System of Chem-
 istry.  Paris's  Medical Chemistry.
  Materia Medica and Pharmacy.—Cullen's Materia
Medica.  Bigelow's Medical Botanv.  Barton's do. 
24
   Surgery.—S. Cooper's Surgical Dictionary.  Brodie
 on the Joints.  Jones on-Haemorrhage.   Abernethy's
 Surgical Works. M'Clellan's Surgery. Pott's Surgery.
 Hey's Surgery.  Larrey's Surgery.  Bell on Gunshot
 Wounds.  Guthrie on do.  Willan or Bateman on Cu-
 taneous Diseases.  Richerand's Surgery.  Benj. Bell's
 System  of Surgery.  A. Cooper on Dislocations and
 Fractures. Bell on Ulcers. Home on do.  Ware on the
 Eye. Saunders on  the Ear and Eye.
   Midwifery.—Baudelocque's Midwifery.  D. D. Da-
 vis's Elements of Operative Midwifery. Rigby on Ute-
 rine Hemorrhage.  White on Lying-in Women. Rams-
 botham's Observations on Midwifery.   Armstrong on
 Puerperal Fever.   Iley on do.
 Pathology and Therapeutics.—Thomas's and Thach-
 er's Practice of Physic.   Andral's Pathology.  Parry's
 do.  Morgagni  on the  Seats and Causes  of  Disea-
 ses, abridged.  Heberden's  Commentaries.  Whytt's
 Works.   Cheyne's Essays on Diseases  of Children.
 Huxham on  Fevers and Sore Throat.   Bancroft on
 Fevers.   R. Jackson on Fevers.   Currie on Cold Wa-
 ter.  Phillips (alias Wilson) on Febrile Diseases.  Sy-
 denham's Works.  Rush's Works.  Hamilton on Pur-
 gatives.   Swan on  the Nerves.  Teale on  Neuralgic
 Diseases.  Scudamore on Gout.  Pemberton  on Dis-
 eases of the Abdomen. Marshall Hall's Works.  Dun-
 can on Consumption. Philip on Indigestion.  Adams
 on Morbid Poisons.  Orfila on  Poisons.  Christison
 on do.   Saunders on the Liver.  M'Culloch on Mala-
 ria.  Bree  on Asthma.  M'Lean  on Hyclrothorax.
Johnson  on  the Diseases of the Digestive Organs.
Faithorne on Diseases of the Liver.   Armstrong on
Scarlatina, Measles, &c.  Pott on  Urinary Calculus.
 Paris on Diet.   A.  Cooper on Diseases of  the Testi-
<les.  Do. on the Diseases of the Mamma?.  Howship 
                        25

 on the Rectum.  Koecker on the Teeth.  Fox on do.
 Hufeland on Scrofulous Diseases.   Williams on the
 Signs of Diseases of the Lungs and Pleura.  John-
 son's Medico-Chirurgical Review.  American Journal
 of the Medical Sciences.
 Sec.  8.     Regulations for  the Libraries.
   The first applicant for a book or books shall  have
 the preference.
   No member of the Society  shall be allowed to  take
 out more than one folio, one  quarto, two octavos, or
 three of smaller  size,  (including pamphlets,) at any
 one time.
   A folio or quarto may be kept out six weeks, octa-
 vos four weeks, books of smaller size (including pam-
 phlets,) two weeks.
   For detaining the books beyond the time permitted,
 the fines are thus—for a folio or quarto twenty cents,
 octavos fifteen cents, smaller size (including pamphlets)
 ten cents, and for every week after the first, the same
 fines to be  added.
   No member shall be allowed the privilege of taking
 out any  other book until the return of those which
 he may  have in his possession.
  The Librarian  shall keep  an account of all books
 taken out of, and returned to the Library, shall notice
 the condition of every  book  returned,  shall  make a
memorandum of any damage that the books may have
sustained in the hands of any  member, and shall  pre-
sent a catalogue of the books at every annual meeting.
  For injury or loss of books, such compensation shall
be made as the Librarian shall adjudge equitable, sub-
ject, however, to the revision of the Society.
             4 
2G
                   RULES.

  1. No fellow shall speak in any debate, without ris
ing and addressing himself to the President.
  2. No fellow, having spoken once in any debate,
shall speak, to the prevention of another, who has not
spoken, and manifests a desire  to speak.
  3. Every fellow, as soon as he has done  speaking,
shall sit down.
  4. No fellow shall interrupt another while speaking,
unless it shall be to call him to order, or to correct a
mistake.
  5. No motion shall be considered unless seconded.
  6. No fellow shall nominate more than one person,
for the same Committee, provided the first person nom-
inated by him be chosen.
  7. No vote shall be reconsidered at the same meet-
ing, by a smaller number than were present at its pass-
ing. 
27
At the Annual Meeting of the Rhode-Island Medical
      Society, held in Newport, June 29, 1831,
  The following gentlemen were elected Officers  for
tin.' three ensuing years, viz.
David King, M. D. Newport, President.
John Mackie, M. D. Providence, 1st Vice-President.
Dr. Edmund T. Waring, Newport,2d Vice-President.
S. Augustus Arnold, M. D. Providence, Recording
      Secretary.
Dr. William Turner, Newport, Corresponding Sec-
      retary.
Jacob Fuller,  M. D. Providence, Treasurer.
Dr.  Edmund  T.  Waring,   Librarian and Cabinet-
      Keeper for the Southern District.
Thomas  II. Webb, M. D.  Librarian and  Cabinet-
      Keeper for the Northern District.
Dr. William G. Shaw, North-Kingstown,^!  Censors
Dr. Samuel West, Tiverton,            I  for the
Charles Cotton, M. D. Newport,        j Southern
Theophilus C. Dunn, M. D. Newport,    j District.
Joseph Mvuran, M. D. Providence,      "1  Censors
Richmond Brownell, M. D. Providence,  I  for the
Dr. Hiram Cleveland, Coventry,        f Northern
Dr. Ezekiel Fowler, Smithfield,        J District 
28
               FELLOWS
                  OF THE
    Rhode-Island Medical  Society.

Aid rich John, South-Kingstown.
Allen Stephen,  West-Greenwich.
*Allenton Goodwin, Providence.
Arnold S. Augustus, Providence.
Allen William II. Providence.
Armington Henry, Providence.
Barrows Thomas M. Providence.
Barrus Daniel,  Warren.
Bellows Eleazar, Smithfield.
*Bellows Eleazar, jun. Burrillville
Bowen William, Providence.
*Bowen Pardon, Providence.
-Bowen William C. Providence.
Bowen Horatio  G. Providence.
Bowen Joseph,  Glocester.
Briggs Lemuel  W.  Bristol.
Brownell Pardon, Providence.
Brownell Richmond, Providence.
Ballou Asa N. Smithfield.
Brainard Austin, Providence.
Carpenter Thomas  O. H. Coventry.
*Carpenter Comfort A. Cranston.
Carpenter Cyril, Coventry.
Case Benjamin  W. Newport.
Clarke Peleg, Cranston.
Colegrove Bela H.  Coventry.
Cole Jeremiah,  Scituate.
Comstock Joseph, South-Kingstown 
29
 Comstock Ezekiel, South-Kingstown.
 Comstock John L. South-Kingstou n.
 Cook Dennis, Tiverton.
 Colwell Francis, Providence.
 Cotton Charles, Newport,
 Church George H. North-Kingstown.
 Carpenter Thomas O. H. jim.Foster.
 Capron George, North-Providence.
 Cleveland Hiram, Coventry.
 Drown Solomon, Foster.
 Dunn Theophilus C. Newport.
 "Easton Jonathan, Newport.
 Easton Jonathan, jun. Neivport.
 *Eddy John M. Providence.
 Eddy Levi, Burrillville.
 Eldridge Charles, East-Greenwich.
 Fisk Caleb, Scituate.
 "Foster "C. Bristol.
 Fowler Ezekiel, Smithfield.
 Fuller Jacob, Providence.
 Fearing Joseph W. Providence.
 Greene Rowland, Scituate.
 Griffin Stephen F. Charlcstown.
 Gardner Johnson, North-Providence.
 Gilbert George O. Providence.
 Harris Stephen, Warwick.
 Hazard Enoch, Newport.
 Hazard Jonathan  E. North-Kingstown.
 Holmes Jabez,  Bristol.
 James  Silas,  West-Greenwich.
Jerauld  Gorton, Warwick.
King David, Newport.
Knight Sylvester,  Warwick.
Knapp Ephraim, Cumberland.
Lamb Cullen, Cumberland. 
30
Lee Henry, Providence.
Mackie John, Providence.
Manchester Niles, North-Providence.
Mason Abraham, Cumberland,
Mauran Joseph, Providence.
Mowry Moses, Coventry.
*Nelson Thomas, Bristol.
Peckham Hazael, Glocester.
Pettes Joseph B. Providence.
Potter Nehemiah, Cumberland.
Perry George H.  Westerly.
Peck  William, Providence.
Parsons Usher, Providence.
Paine Zenas G. Pawtuxet.
Richmond John W. Providence.
Richardson W. Portsmouth.
Shaw William G. North-Kingstown.
Simmons Thomas II. Newport.
Stone John, Providence.
Sexton Jonathan, Portsmouth.
Slack David B. Providence.
"Thompson William, Warren.
*Throop Amos,  Providence.
Tibbitts John W. Warwick.
Tillinghast Wilbour, West-Greenwich.
Tillinghast Thomas, East-Greenwich.
Tillinghast George H. Providence.
Torrey Augustus, Glocester.
 Turner William, Newport.
 Turner Peter, East-Greenwich.
 Turner Henry E. ditto
Turner James,  ditto.
 Tyler George W. Pawtuxet.
 Tobey Samuel B. Providence.
 Utley Leander,  ditto. 
                            31
t
         Walcott Micah, Cumberland.
         Waldron A. Glocester.
         Waring Edmund T. Newport.
         Warren Thomas, Bristol.
         "Webber Richard M. Tiverton.
»         West Samuel, ditto.
         Wheaton Levi, Providence.
         Wheaton Walter V. ditto.
         Whittridge William, Tiverton.
         Whittridge William C. ditto.
         Whittridge Joshua B. ditto.
         Wilkinson John, Scituate.
         Williams Jeremiah, Warren.
         Wood Robert C. Newport.
         Wylley Aaron C. New-Shorehani-
         Webb Thomas H. Providence.
              * Deceased. 
 
 
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