N F. W - Y 0 R K SOCIETY 
FOR 
THU BELIEF 
OF T H E 
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS 
O F 
MEDICAL MEN, 
INSTITUTED IN T H EYtfXK T8 4 2. 
INCORPORATED IN 1843 1L A W @ 
OF THE 
NEW-YORK SOCIETY 
FOR 
THE RELIEF 
OF THE 
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS 
O F 
MEDICAL MEN G£N'L8 
INSTITUTED IN THE YEAR 1842; INCORPORATED IN APRIL, 184S. 
NEW-YOEK K. 
> . / V *' 
PRINTED BT «. LUDWIG AND CO, 
T 0 Ve Bey-Street. 
1 84 9. Hist of ©fScet*. 
President: 
EDWARD DELAFIELD, M.D. 
Vice Presidents : 
J. C. BLISS, M. D., 
VALENTINE MOTT, M. D. 
F. U. JOHNSTON, M. D. 
Treasurer : 
ISAAC WOOD, M. D. 
Secretary : 
H. D. BULKLEY, M. D. 
Managers: 
John G. Adams, M. D. 
James Anderson, M. D. 
Luke Barker, M.D. 
E. L. Beadle, M. D. 
William N. Blakeman, M. D. 
J. H. Borrows, M. D. 
William P. Buel, M. D. 
H. D. Bulkley, M. D. 
James Cameron, M. D. 
G. P. Cammann, M. D. 
Abraham Dubois, M. D. 
Joel Foster, M. D. 
S. T. Hubbard, M. D. 
Jared Linsly, M. D. 
*James Macdonald, M.D. 
J. T. Metcalfe, M. D. 
Willard Parker, M. D. 
Alfred C. Post, M. D. 
William Power, M. D. 
Oliver White, M. D. 
James R. Wood, M. D. 
• • Daceued. LAWS OF THE NEW-YORK SOCIETY 
FOR THE 
RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF MEDICAL MEN. 
CHAPTER I. 
QUALIFICATIONS AND ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. 
Seo. 1. The Society shall consist of Physicians and 
Surgeons, residing in New-York and Kings counties, 
and holding regular licenses to practise, under the laws 
of the State of New-York; and of Physicians and Sur- 
geons in the Army and Navy of the United States. 
Sec. 2. Every person desirous of becoming a member 
of the Society, shall sign a Declaration, stating his wish, 
and setting forth his place of abode, and also whether he 
is a single or married man, and the number, names and 
ages of his children. 
To this declaration shall be annexed a certificate, 
signed by at least two members of the Society, vouch- 
ing for the good character and standing of the applicant. 
The candidate, thus recommended, shall be proposed 
at one meeting of the Board of Managers, and balloted 
for at the next; and in every notice to attend such meet- 
ings, the names of the persons to be balloted for shall 
be expressed. 4 
Sec. 3. Any person, qualified as above, may be pro- 
posed as a member by the Chairman of the annual gene- 
ral meeting of the Society, and may be balloted for and 
elected by the same general meeting. 
Sec. 4. Every member of the Society shall pay the 
sum of ten dollars, as his initiation fee; and an annual 
subscription of ten dollars—Jive dollars payable half- 
yearly; every annual subscriber being considered a 
member from the day upon which his initiation fee has 
been paid. 
Sec. 5. The sum of one hundred dollars, paid at one 
time, within three months after the date of his election, 
shall be considered as a composition for premium and 
annual payment; and shall constitute the subscriber a 
member for life. 
Sec. 6. A member who is an annual subscriber of ten 
dollars, shall not be called upon (unless by his own de- 
sire) to pay the said subscription for a longer time than 
twenty years; and when the said term of twenty years 
is expired, he shall be considered a member for life. 
Sec. 7. A member who is a subscriber of ten dollars 
annually, may, by making up the sum of his subscrip- 
tion one hundred and twenty-five dollars, exclusive of his 
initiation fee, at any time within ten years from the date 
of his admission, become a member for life; and, as 
such, be exempt from future payments. 5 
Sec. 8. When a new subscriber pays his initiation 
fee at any other time than on 1st January or 1st July, 
it shall be optional with him to date the commencement 
of his membership from the regular semi-annual time of 
payment, immediately preceding or immediately succeed- 
ing the payment of his initiation fee. 
Sec. 9. Every annual subscriber who shall marry 
oftener than once, shall pay one year’s contribution ex- 
traordinary on every such marriage. 
Sec. 10. If any member remove out of the limits of 
the Society, or relinquish the practice of medicine, he 
shall nevertheless continue to be a member, and be en- 
titled to all the privileges of the Society, so long as he 
shall continue to pay his subscription, as above named. 
Sec. 11. No person shall be admitted a member of 
this Society who publicly advertises any medicine as a 
secret, or publicly advertises to cure any disease. 
CHAPTER II. 
BENEFACTORS. 
The payment of one hundred dollars or upwards, by 
a person not belonging to the medical profession, shall 
constitute such person a Benefactor of the Society ; and 
the payment of one hundred, and fifty dollars, by a mem- 
ber of the medical profession, at one time, shall entitle 
him to the same distinction. 6 
CHAPTER HI. 
DISQUALIFICATION OF MEMBERS. 
Sec. 1. Any person having omitted to make three half 
yearly payments of his subscription, for two calendar 
months after the third half-yearly payment shall have 
become due, ceases, ipso facto, to be a member of the 
Society, and the subscription which he has paid shall be 
forfeited; but the Board of Managers may, at their dis- 
cretion, restore such person to the privileges of member- 
ship, upon his making payment of all arrears of dues, 
with the interest thereon. 
Sec. 2. If any member shall publicly advertise any 
medicine as a secret, or countenance the same by pub- 
licly recommending it; or publicly advertise to cure any 
disease; the Board of Managers, having had due proof 
thereof, shall order the Secretary to deliver, or cause to 
be delivered to him personally, or at his usual place of 
abode, a copy of the Laws of the Society, and also a 
written notice, setting forth that unless he discontinue 
such practice, within three months from the service of 
said notice, he shall be subjected to removal from the 
Society ; and if, after the expiration of the time allowed, 
the Board of Managers shall receive proof that the no- 
tice has been duly served, and that the said member has 
not discontinued his empirical practice, he shall cease, 
ipso facto, to be a member, and the subscriptions which 
he has paid shall be forfeited. 7 
CHAPTER IV. 
GENERAL MEETINGS. 
Sec. 1. A general meeting, open to all members, shall 
be held on the last Wednesday in November in every 
year. And three days at least, previously to such meet- 
ing, a summons shall be sent by the Secretary to each 
member of the Society residing within its limits; and 
the said general meeting shall also be advertised in two 
or more of the public daily newspapers. 
Sec. 2. No business shall be transacted at any gene- 
ral meeting, unless nine members be present; and iu 
case this number be not assembled within an hour after 
the appointed time, the majority of the members present 
shall have power to appoint a meeting on some other day 
within a fortnight. 
Sec. 3. At every general meeting, previously to all 
other business, the minutes of the last general meeting, 
together with those of all extraordinary general meet- 
ings, and meetings of the Board of Managers, assem- 
bled since the last annual general meeting, shall be read; 
but no new business shall be introduced, unless recom- 
mended by a resolution of the Board of Managers; or 
by a committee appointed for the purpose at a previous 
general meeting. 
Sec. 4. At the general meeting in 4itay*ei’, the fol- 8 
lowing officers shall be elected ; viz : a President, three 
Vice Presidents, a Treasurer, and seven Managers. 
Sec. 5. The President, Vice Presidents, and Treas- 
urer, shall ex-ojficio be members of the Board of Mana- 
gers. 
CHAPTER Y. 
BOARD OF MANAGERS. 
Sec. 1. The Board shall consist of the President, Vice 
Presidents, Treasurer, and twenty-one Managers. 
Sec. 2. The Managers shall be divided into three 
classes of seven each ; each class in rotation shall go out 
of office at the general meeting in October, and their 
places shall be supplied at the election which then takes 
place; but such Managers shall be re-eligible at the 
pleasure of the Society. 
Sec. 3. Any vacancies which may occur by death or 
resignation in the Board of Managers, between two an- 
nual elections, may be filled by the Board at an election 
to be held for the purpose at a regular quarterly meet- 
ing. 
Sec. 4. A meeting of the Board of Managers shall be 
held year; viz: on the third Wed- 
nesday of September, and December. 9 
Sec. 5. At every quarterly meeting of the Board of 
Managers, the minutes of the last annual general meet- 
ing, and of all extraordinary general meetings held since 
the last quarterly meeting ; of the last quarterly meet- 
ing of Managers, and of all extraordinary meetings of 
Managers held since such meeting ; and of the Standing 
Committee, shall be read and respectively confirmed or 
amended. 
Sec. 6. Candidates for admission shall be balloted 
for; and no candidate shall be deemed a member unless 
he have three-fourths of the suffrages contained in the 
ballot box. 
Sec. 7. The applications of new candidates, and the 
recommendations in their behalf, shall be read. 
Sec. 8. Occasional applications for relief may be re- 
ceived and considered, and assistance may be granted. 
Sec. 9. At the quarterly meeting in December, the 
annual declarations of the widows whose claims on the 
Society have already been examined and approved, shall 
be read and considered; and such sums shall be voted 
to them respectively as the Managers may think proper. 
Sec. 10. At the quarterly meeting in June, a Com- 
mittee of five members (two of whom may be of the 
Board of Managers) shall be chosen to audit the ac- 
counts of the Society; and at the ‘same meeting, the 
time and place of holding the Anniversary- Dinner, and 10 
the price of Tickets, shall be fixed; and the Stewards 
shall be elected. 
Sec. 11. At the quarterly meetings in September, the 
Auditors’ Report of the state of the funds shall be re- 
ceived and read. 
Sec. 12. No business shall be transacted at any meet, 
ing of the Board of Managers, unless five members of the 
Board be present. 
Sec. 13. At all meetings, if the President be absent, 
the chair shall be taken by the first Vice President; 
if he be absent, by the second Vice President; or, he 
also being absent, by the third Vice President. If nei- 
ther of these officers be present, a chairman shall be 
appointed pro tempore, from the members present. 
Sec. 14. All motions shall be delivered to the Chair- 
man in writing, if the Chairman or any member desire, 
and shall be read by him before any debate or decision 
take place thereon. 
Sec. 15. No member shall speak more than twice on 
any motion, unless he obtain special permission from the 
Chairman for that purpose. 
Sec. 16. All elections shall be by ballot, and be de- 
cided by a majority; the Chairman having, in all motions 
vnd elections, a casting vote. 11 
Sec. 17. The Chairman shall appoint all Commit- 
tees, unless otherwise ordered by special resolution. 
Sec. 18. No resolution tending to alter or repeal 
any law shall be valid, until approved at one quarterly 
meeting of the Board of Managers, and confirmed at the 
next, by a majority of at least three-fourths of the mem- 
bers present, and voting at each of the said meetings. 
Sec. 19. The Board of Managers shall have power 
to call extraordinary general meetings of the members of 
the Society, notices being served in the same manner as 
for regular annual meetings. 
Sec. 20. The Board of Managers shall have power 
to hold meetings by adjournment, and also appoint ex- 
traordinary meetings. And any five managers shall 
also have power to require extraordinary meetings, 
their requisition being signified in writing to the Secre- 
tary, who shall call a meeting in conformity therewith 
upon some day to be fixed by the President, within 
fourteen days after the date of such requisition. 
Sec. 21. A general list of the members of the 
Society shall be published at least once in four years. 
A supplementary list shall be printed annually, together 
with a printed statement of the Society’s affairs. 12 
CHAPTER VI. 
SECRETARY. 
Sec. 1. The Secretary shall be elected by the 
Board of Managers from their own number. He shall 
attend at all meetings of the Society, of the Board, and 
of the Standing Committee, and shall enter into proper 
books the minutes of the transactions of each meeting. 
Sec. 2. The Secretary shall receive all applications 
made to the Society for relief, and shall give notice of 
the same to the Standing Committee and to the next 
quarterly meeting of the Board of Managers; and as 
soon as any sum or sums of money shall be ordered to 
be paid to applicants, or to those persons who are pro- 
perly authorized to receive the same, he shall inform 
them by letter of the exact time and place when and 
where the Treasurer will be ready to make such pay- 
ments. 
CHAPTER VII. 
TREASURER. 
Sec. 1. Before the Treasurer enters upon the du- 
ties of his office, he shall give a bond to the Society, 
with two suTcient sureties, in a sum of not less than 
two thousand dollars, for the faithful performance of the 
trust reposed in him. 13 
Sec. 2. He shall collect the interest of all moneys 
of the Society loaned on bond and mortgage, and the 
dividends on all stocks held by the Society. 
Sec. 3. He shall pay all specific orders drawn on 
him by a resolution of the Society and signed by the 
presiding officer, and all drafts of the Standing Com- 
mittee made in conformity with the provisions of the 
By-Laws. 
Sec. 4. He shall be required to submit to the 
Managers at their regular Meeting in September of every 
year, the names of all members who shall have forfeited 
their membership. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
COLLECTOR. 
Sec. 1. The Collector shall be elected by the Board 
of Managers ; and on first entering into office shall give 
such security for the faithful performance of his duties 
as the Board may deem sufficient. 
Sec. 2. He shall be allowed a commission of five 
per cent, on all sums he shall collect for the Society. 
Sec. 3. He shall call upon each annual subscriber 
for his half yearly payment, within one month after it 
has become due. 14 
CHAPTER IX. 
STANDING COMMITTEE. 
Sec. 1. The President and two Managers, to be 
chosen by the Board annually at their quarterly meeting 
*n December, shall constitute the Standing Committee- 
Sec. 2. All applications for relief shall be referred 
to the Standing Committee. 
Sec. 3. They shall inquire into the circumstances 
of all widows or orphans of any deceased member who 
may apply for assistance, and through the Secretary, 
report their cases to the Board of Managers. 
Sec. 4. They shall give drafts upon the Treasurer 
to all persons who shall be authorized by the Board of 
Managers to receive assistance from the Society, and no 
payment shall be made for such purpose without such 
draft. 
Sec. 5. In cases where applications are made to the 
Standing Committee, during the recess of the Society, 
and if on examination it shall appear that the applicant 
or applicants are entitled to relief by the By-Laws, 
and that the circumstances of the case are such as to 
require immediate assistance, it shall and may be law- 
ful for them to make a donation not to exceed twenty- 
five dollars, to meet such emergency ; provided always, 
that they shall report in writing at the next meeting of 
the Board of Managers, the amount thus advanced, and 
the name and situation of the persons thus relieved. 15 
Sec. 6. The Standing Committee, with the advice of 
the Treasurer, shall invest all the funds of the Society, 
and no change of investments shall be made except by 
their order. 
CHAPTER X. 
DISPOSITION OF FUNDS. 
Sec. 1. The funds of the Society shall be invested in 
bonds and mortgages on real estate in the cities of New- 
York and Brooklyn, the borrowers also residing in one 
of the said cities ; and in stocks of the United States or 
of the City and State of New-York, and in no other 
mode. 
Sec. 2. All payments constituting members for life, 
all initiation fees, and all benefactions and legacies, shall 
at all times be added to the capital stock of the Society, 
unless a contrary disposition of them be directed by the 
Benefactors or Testators. 
CHAPTER XI. 
PROPER SUBJECTS OF RELIEF. 
Sec. 1. The widow of any member of this Society 
having no child, and who has no estate, salary, or other 
provision, exceeding altogether the yearly value of two 
hundred dollars, is eligible to receive such assistance 
from this Society annually, as the state of its funds will 
permit, Provided, that if such widow shall marry again, 
her annuity shall cease, unless the Board of Managers 
think proper to continue it. 16 
Sec. 2. The widow of any member of this Society 
who is left with a child or children under fourteen years 
of age, entirely or in part dependent on such widow for 
support, and who has no estate, salary or other provision 
exceeding the yearly value altogether of fifty dollars for 
each child respectively, in addition to the two hundred 
mentioned in the preceding section, is eligible to receive 
such additional assistance from this Society annually, as 
the state of its funds will permit. 
Sec. 3. The orphan of any member of this Society 
who has no estate, salary or other provision, exceeding 
the yearly value altogether of one hundred dollars, is 
eligible to receive such assistance annually, as the funds 
of the Society will permit. 
Sec. 4. If any member at his death, leave neither 
widow nor child, but a widowed mother, living with him 
at the time of his decease, and dependent on him for 
support, or a sister above the age of fifty years, who had 
lived with him for at least three years, and was living 
with him at the time of his death, and dependent on him 
for support; such widowed mother or such sister shall 
be deemed eligible to receive assistance from the funds 
of the Society, at the discretion of the Board of Man- 
agers. 
Sec. 5. No widow or child, mother or sister of any 
medical practitioner, shall receive any assistance from the 
funds of this Society, unless the person from whom they 
claim was a member at the time of his death, and had 
been a member two years at least previously to his de- 
cease. 17 
Sec. 6. Although the general intention of the Society 
is to relieve the widows and children of medical men ; 
yet, if it should unfortunately happen, that any member 
be incapacitated from attending to his business, the said 
member and his family being involved in distress, it shall 
be lawful for the Board of Managers to allow him such 
temporary relief as they shall deem necessary. 
CHAPTER XII. 
APPLICATIONS FOR RELIEF. 
Sec. 1. All applications for relief from the Society 
must be made by letter to the Secretary; stating the 
name and age of the parties applying; the name and 
relationship of the member through whom they become 
qualified to receive relief; and the circumstances which 
make assistance necessary. The applications having 
been examined by the Standing Committee, must be re- 
ported to the Board of Managers at their next quarterly 
meeting, and such relief granted as they may deem 
proper. 
Sec. 2. All persons whose claims on the Society shall 
have been allowed, and who are desirous of receiving 
regular assistance from its funds, must send to the Sec- 
retary early in the month of November of each year, the 
Declaration set forth in the Appendix, properly filled 
up; and if the Board of Managers shall require it, ve- 
rified by affidavit; which declaration must be signed by 
two Members of the Society, if the applicant reside with- 
in its limits; and if beyond these, the applicant, if a 
widow, or if an orphan, or orphans, their guardian or 18 
nearest friend, must make affidavit of the truth of the 
statement therein contained, before an officer legally 
qualified to administer oaths in the county or district 
in which he or she resides; or shall procure the signa- 
ture of a respectable clergyman in the town in which he 
or she may reside, as to his belief in the truth of such 
declaration. 
Sec. 3. All sums of money granted by the Board of 
Managers, shall be paid within twenty days after such 
sums are voted, by the Treasurer, to the parties who are 
properly authorized to receive the -same ; and the Secre- 
tary shall by letter inform them of the time and place, 
when and where, the Treasurer will be ready to make 
such payments. 
Sec. 4. All annuities shall be paid in two equal semi- 
annual payments. 
CHAPTER XIII. 
0 
ANNIVERSARY DINNER. 
Sec. 1. A dinner by the Members of the Society shall 
be held in the month of October or November in every 
year. 
Sec. 2. The expenses of the Anniversary Dinner shall 
be paid by the proceeds of the tickets issued for the 
same. 
Sec. 3. A general statement of the affairs of the So- 
ciety shall be made upon this occasion, and especially 
the amount expended by the Society for ordinary ex- 
penditures, other than the sums granted to relieve ap- 
plicants under its By-Laws. 19 
APPENDIX. 
THE DECLARATIONS OF PERSONS DESIROUS OF RECEIVING 
REGULAR ASSISTANCE FROM THE FUND. 
To the Managers of the New- York Society for the 
Relief of Widows and Orphans. 
Mrs Years of Age 
resident at 
hereby maketh declaration, that she 
still continues the Widow of 
late Member of this Society, having 
never since been married to any other 
person ; that she has Chil- 
dren under fourteen years af age now 
living and unprovided for, namely, 
aged 
That she has no Estate, Salary, or 
)ther Provision whatever from any source, 
sxcept 
Here state the Names 
and Ages of the 
Children and their 
present situation. 20 
which, taken together, do not produce 
more than per annum, and 
therefore she is still under the necessity 
of presenting her claims to the Society. 
Signed 
Date and Resi- 
dence. 
N. B. If the Applicant reside either in New-York 
or King’s Counties, this Declaration must be certified 
by the signatures of two Members of the Society; and 
if beyond these limits, Affidavit of the truth of such 
Declaration must be made before an Officer legally 
qualified to administer oaths in the County or District 
in which the Applicant resides; or the signature of 
a respectable Clergyman in the town in which she 
may reside, as to his belief in the truth of such decla- 
ration. 
The Board of Managers have the power of re- 
quiring this Declaration to be verified by the Affidavit 
of the Claimant. 21 
CERTIFICATE. 
We, whose names are hereunto sub- 
scribed, certify, that we believe the 
above Declaration to be strictly true. 
Dated • 
Signed. 
WIDOWS and the Guardians of ORPHANS are 
requested particularly to take Notice, that it is neces- 
sary that a Renewal of their Declaration and Cer- 
tificate, regularly signed as above directed, be sent 
to the SECRETARY, on or before the Second 
WEDNESDAY in the Month of November, in every 
year; in default of which, no Widow or Orphan can 
receive assistance from the Board of Directors, who 
meet in December. 
N. B. With the FIRST Application for Relief 
there must be sent a Copy of the Certificate of Mar- 
riage of the Widow with the deceased Member; evi- 
dence of the Ages of the Children under fourteen 
years; and also the certificate of the burial of the 
deceased person. 22 
LIST OF MEMBERS. 
LIFE MEMBERS. 
Anderson, James 
Arden, John B. 
Barker, Luke 
Beales, John C. 
Bedford, Gr. S. 
Berger. Francis E. 
Bliss, James C. 
Cammann, George P. 
Cameron, James 
Delafield, Edward 
Halsted, T. M. 
Linsly, Jared 
*Macdonald, James 
/Maynard, Elias F. 
Mott, Valentine 
Metcalfe, John T. 
Olliff, William J. 
Parker, Willard 
Taylor, Isaac E. 
Van Rensselaer, Alexander 
Wood, Isaac 
ANNUAL SUBSCRIBERS. 
Adams John Q-. 
Beadle, Edward L. 
Blakeman, Wm. N. 
Borrowe, J. H. 
Bowron, John S. 
Buel, William P. 
Bulkley, H. D. 
Campbell, James 
Clark, Peter F. 
Chapin, John R. 
Clements, J. W. G. 
Dubois, Abraham 
Foster, Joel 
Garrish, John P. 
*Graham, John 
Greene, Isaac 
Goldsmith, Alban 
Griscom, John H. 
Gunn, Alexander N. 
Harris, Stephen R. 
Hoffman, Richard K. 
*Hunter, Abr. T. 
Hubbard, Samuel T. 
Jarvis, Aaron 
Johnston, Francis U. 
Macneven, Wm. H. 
* Deceased. 23 
Miller, William E. 
Miner, William 
Miner, William W. 
Morris, Richard L. 
Nichols, Elias S. 
Ogden, Benjamin 
Post, Alfred C. 
Power, William 
*Revere, John 
Rockwell, William 
Rodgers, J. Kearny 
Sayre, Lewis A. 
Smith, Charles D. 
Smith, David 
*Stearns, John 
Stevens, Alexander H. 
Stillwell, John E. 
Storer, Ebenezer 
Sweeny, Hugh 
Trenor, John 
Trudeau, James 
Van Kleek, John R. 
Ward, Thomas 
*Washington, James A. 
White, Oliver 
White, Samuel P. 
Williams, Merrill W. 
Worster, Joseph 
Wright, Aaron 
Wood, James R. 
* Deceased. 24 
INDEX. 
Chap. Page 
I. Qualifications and Admission of Members 3 
II. Benefactors ------ 5 
III. Disqualification of Members - - - 6 
IV. General Meetings ----- 7 
V. Board of Managers ----- 8 
VI. Secretary - - - - - - 12 
VII. Treasurer - - - - - - ib. 
VIII. Collector - - - - - - 13 
IX. Standing Committee - - - - - 14 
X. Deposition of Funds - - - - - 15 
XI. Proper Subjects of Relief - - - ib. 
XII. Applications for Relief - - - - 17 
XIII. Anniversary Dinner - - - - - 18 
Appendix - - - - - - -19 
List of Members - - - - - 22