BY-LAWS 
OP THE 
fMiMJork tlispmsanj. 
INSTITUTED 1790. 
*‘I WAS SICK AND YE VISITED ME." 
$ t far -1) o r k : 
JOHN W. AMERMAN, PRINTER, 
No. 47 Cedar Street. 
187S. BY-LAWS. 
Be it ordained by the Trustees of the New-York Dis- 
pensary, and it is hereby ordained by authority of the 
same, that the following. Rules and Regulations be, and 
they are hereby established, as laws and ordinances of 
the said corporation ; and that all other By-Laws, rules 
and regulations heretofore made be, and the same are 
hereby repealed. 
CHAPTER I. 
OF THE ANNUAL ELECTION. 
Article I.—Tlie annual election of the class of Trus- 
tees whose term shall then expire shall be held on the 
second Monday in January, in every year, at the Dis- 
pensary Building, and shall begin at four and close at 
five o’clock, p. m. The Secretary shall give public notice 
of every such election in two of the daily newspapers, 
designating the time and place. 
Art. II.—The election shall be by ballot, and under the 
direction of three of the Trustees, to be appointed by the 
Board as Inspectors, and who, or a majority of them, 
shall preside at and conduct the election, and keep a 
poll-list, in which they shall enter the names of the 
voters. Should no two of the Inspectors attend, the 
vacancies may be filled by the Trustees present. 4 
Duties of the Officers and Trustees. 
Aet. III.—As soon as the poll is closed, the Inspec- 
tors shall examine the ballots, and execute a certificate 
under their hands and seals, declaring \vl19 are the seven 
persons having a majority of the whole number of votes ; 
and they shall report the same at the next stated meeting 
of the Board, to be entered on the records of the Society. 
The Secretary shall give notice, without delay, to the 
persons so elected. 
Aet. IY.—At the first stated meeting of the Trustees 
after every annual election, they shall, by ballot, elect 
one of their number as President, one as Vice-President, 
one as Treasurer, and one other as Secretary. 
CHAPTER II. 
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES. 
Aeticle I.—The stated meetings of the Board of 
Trustees shall be held in the Dispensary Building, cor- 
ner of Centre and White streets, on the third Monday of 
every month, at such hour as the Board may designate 
from time to time by resolution. 
Special meetings may be held at any time, on the 
requisition of the President, or of any two Trustees. 
Aet. II.—Seven Trustees, including the President or 
Vice-President, or Chairman for the time being, shall be 
a quorum for transacting all business, except the election 
of officers, or the alienating or mortgaging any of the 
real estate of the corporation; for which purpose, the 
consent of a majority of all the Trustees shall be held 
necessary. 
Aet. III.—The President, or in his absence the Vice- 
President, and in case of the absence of both of these 
officers, one of the Trustees, to be chosen President pro 
tem., shall preside at the meetings of the Board, and Duties of the Officers and Trustees. 
5 
regulate the proceedings. In case of an equal division 
of the Trustees on any question, he shall have an addi- 
tional and casting vote. He shall appoint all Committees, 
unless otherwise directed by the Board. It shall be the 
further duty of the President to visit the Dispensary at 
least once in every month, to inspect the general state of 
the Institution, and to report his observations thereon in 
the Book of Minutes of the Visiting Committee. 
Art. IV.—When the office of President shall be va- 
cant, or when the President shall be absent, the Vice- 
President shall succeed to all his rights and duties. 
Art. V.—The Treasurer shall have the custody of all 
bonds, title-deeds and other papers and documents re- 
lating to the property of the corporation. He shall open 
an account with one of the banks in the city, in the name 
of the corporation, in which he shall deposit all moneys 
immediately on his receiving them. He shall have au- 
thority to let such part of the building as the Trustees 
may direct to be hired out, and to collect and receive all 
moneys which may be due to the Institution, and may 
employ a collector to collect rents, to solicit subscrip- 
tions and donations, and to receive, in his name, the sums 
due from annual subscribers, and may allow a commis- 
sion therefor. 
The Treasurer shall keep an account of all moneys re- 
ceived and paid by him, and once a year, in the month 
of January, or oftener, if required by the Board, he shall 
render a statement of the same to the Trustees, who shall 
appoint two of their number to audit his accounts. 
Art. VI.—The Secretary shall be the custodian of the 
seal, and shall give special notice to each Trustee of all 
meetings of the Board, and shall attend the same, and 
keep accurate minutes of all the proceedings, and trans- 
cribe them in a book kept for that purpose. He shall 
also give notice to the Trustees of their appointment on 6 
Duties of the Officers and Trustees. 
Committees, and also to the Physicians, of their appoint- 
ment under Article IX. 
Art. VII.—It shall also be the duty of each of the 
Trustees to visit the Dispensary at least once in every 
month; and the time of such visit, with any remark 
they may think proper, shall be entered on the book of 
the Visiting Committee ; and whenever so inclined, they 
may visit patients, either in company with the Physician 
or not. 
Art. VIII.—At the meeting of the Trustees in Janu- 
ary of each year, there shall be appointed the following 
Standing Committees: 
1. A Visiting Committee, to consist of three Trustees, 
whose term of office shall be one month. The appoint- 
ment and arrangement of this Committee shall be made 
for the year ; and it shall be the duty of any Trustee so 
appointed to provide the attendance of another Trustee 
in case of his inability to attend. 
It shall be the duty of this Committee to visit the Dis- 
pensary on every Tuesday morning ; and each member 
of the Committee, at least once more during the same 
week, at such time as he may choose, to examine into 
all the detail of the operations, and to see that the duties 
of the Physicians, Apothecary and other officers and 
servants of the Dispensary are faithfully performed. 
If complaints be made of neglect or misconduct on 
the part of any Physician, or of the Apothecary or 
other officer, it shall be the duty of the Committee to in- 
vestigate the same, and, if necessary, report the facts to 
the Board. They shall keep a minute-book, in which 
they shall enter the time of each visit at the office, and 
any transactions or remarks they may think proper; 
which book shall be produced and read at every stated 
meeting of the Board. 
The Visiting Committee for the month may grant leave Duties of the Officers and Trustees. 
7 
of absence to any Physician or other officer until the 
next meeting of the Board, and with the approbation of 
the Board, m’ay extend the same for a longer period. 
Satisfactory arrangements must, however, be previously 
made for the performance of the duties of such absentee 
during his absence. 
2. A Committee of Supplies, consisting of three Trus- 
tees, whose duty shall be to purchase, on the most ad- 
vantageous terms, all articles wanted for the use of the 
Institution, and to designate the druggists and dealers 
from whom medicines and other supplies shall be pur- 
chased. 
3. A Committee of Conference, consisting of two Trus- 
tees, whose duty it shall be to confer with like Commit- 
tees from the other Dispensaries on all subjects of interest 
to the Dispensaries in general, especially with regard to 
appropriations or donations from the Legislature or Cor- 
poration. 
4. A Committee of Repairs, to consist of the President 
and two Trustees, who shall have a general care of the 
building and premises, and keep them in repair. 
5. A Committee on Medical Appointments, consisting 
of three Trustees, to whom shall be referred all appli- 
cations for Medical appointments. Said Committee to 
examine and report upon the same to the Board for their 
action. 
Akt. IX.—Annually, in the month of February, the 
Trustees shall appoint one House Physician, one Assist- 
ant House Physician, fqur District and thirty-one At- 
tending Physicians, six Consulting Physicians and Sur- 
geons, a Director of the Vaccine Department, a Dental 
Surgeon, an Apothecary and an Assistant Apothecary. 
All such appointments shall take effect on the first day 
of May thereafter. Appointments to all such offices 8 
General Regulations, 
made prior to February, 1876, shall expire on the 1st 
May, 1876. 
These officers shall be removable at any time by the 
Trustees for sufficient cause. 
The Physicians must be nominated as candidates at a 
meeting previous to their election. 
Art. X.—Candidates for appointment as Physicians 
to the Dispensary shall address a written application 
to the Trustees to that effect, and accompany it with a 
certificate of recommendation for the office, signed by 
at least three Consulting Physicians or Surgeons. 
Art. XI.—Immediately after the annual appointment 
. of Physicians, the names of those elected shall be pub- 
lished by the Secretary, in one or more daily newspa- 
pers. 
Art. XII.—A report on the state of the Institution 
shall be prepared and published annually in the month 
of January, copies of which shall be presented to the 
Legislature and Common Council. 
Art. XIII.—The Secretary and House Physician, with 
the aid of the Committee on Medical Appointments, shall 
constitute a Standing Committee, with power to publish 
such portions of the monthly reports of the Physicians 
as they may judge expedient. 
CHAPTER III. 
GENERAL REGULATIONS. 
Article I.—The Dispensary Territory, (comprising 
all that portion of the city within the following named 
boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the foot of Spring- 
street, North River ; along Spring-street to Broadway ; 
up Broadway to Fourteenth-street; along Fourteenth- General Regulations. 
9 
street to First Avenue; down First Avenue, Alien- 
street, Division-street and Pike-street to the East River ; 
thence down the East River, around the Battery and up 
the North River to the point of beginning, and includ- 
ing both sides of the boundary streets, except Spring- 
street,) shall be divided into four districts, namely: 
First District.—This shall comprise all that portion 
of the city below a line from the North River ; through 
Chambers-street to the East River, including both sides 
of the boundary streets. 
Second District.—This shall be bounded on the south 
by Chambers-street; on the west by the North River ; 
on the north by Spring-street, and on the east by Marion 
and Centre streets, including both sides of the boundary 
streets, except Chambers-street, and that portion of 
Spring-street lying west of Broadway. 
Third District.—This shall be bounded on the south 
by Chambers-street; on the west by Centre-street; on 
the north by Canal, Allen and Pike streets, and on the 
east by the East River; including both sides of the 
boundary streets, except Chambers and Centre streets. 
Fourth District.—This shall be bounded on the south 
by Canal-street; on the west by Centre and Marion 
streets and Broadway; on the north by Fourteenth- 
street, and on the east by First Avenue and Alien-street. 
Art. II.—The office of the Dispensary shall be kept 
open daily, except on Sundays and from nine 
o’clock in the morning until six o’clock in the evening. 
On Sundays and holidays the office hours shall be from 
nine to ten, a. m., for the dispensing of medicines. 
The Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas and 
New Year’s Day, Washington’s Birth Day and Election 
Day are to be considered as holidays. 10 
General Regulations. 
Art. III.—The two sexes shall be kept separate in 
the reception room, and. patients, when prescribed for 
and furnished with medicines, shall retire without delay. 
Art. IV.—All applicants for medical advice, with 
the exception of lying-in women, shall be deemed objects 
of this charity ; and no Physician shall receive any com- 
pensation from Dispensary patients for services ren- 
dered. 
Lying-in women, not being proper objects of this 
charity, should be recommended to the Lying-in Asy- 
lum. 
Art. V.—Medical students shall have the privilege of 
attending at the Dispensary, but are in no case whatever 
permitted to prescribe for or operate on any patient. 
Their attendance may be interdicted at any time, for 
sufficient cause, by the Visiting Committee. 
Art. VI.—No smoking of tobacco shall be allowed in 
any of the rooms occupied by the Dispensary. 
Art. VII.—Every Physician and Dentist attending at 
the Dispensary, shall each day enter in the attendance 
book the actual time of his entering upon his duties on 
such day. 
Art. VIII.—Every Physician, on accepting appoint- 
ment in any department, shall, before entering upon the 
duties of his office, subscribe an obligation in the follow- 
ing form : 
OBLIGATION. 
The undersigned, in accepting the office conferred upon 
him by the Trustees of the New-York Dispensary, hav- 
ing carefully read the By-Laws which prescribe the duties 
of the said office, hereby pledges himself to a strict com- 
pliance therewith, and also to give one month’s notice to 
the Board of Trustees of his intended resignation. House Physician. 
11 
CHAPTER IV. 
OF THE HOUSE PHYSICIAN. 
Article I.—The House Physician, besides his duties 
specified in the following articles, shall be charged with 
the general supervision of the business of the Dispensary, 
including the duties of all the Physicians and other 
officers and servants. 
He shall attend daily at the Dispensary, (Sundays and 
Holidays excepted,) from 10 o’clock, a. m., till 4 o’clock, 
p. M. 
Art. II,—He shall have a general care of the Dispen- 
sary ; shall see that the offices and rooms are kept clean 
and in good order ; shall keep an inventory of all sur- 
gical instruments ; be accountable for the same, and 
shall see that they are kept in serviceable condition. 
For these purposes he shall, with the consent of the 
Visiting Committee, incur such current expenses as the 
good of the Institution may require; reporting to the 
Trustees, at the next stated meeting, the objects of the 
outlay, its amount, and the persons employed. 
Art. III.—He shall facilitate, as much as possible, 
the business of the Physicians, and in the absence of any 
Attending Physician, shall prescribe for. the patients of 
his hour, until a substitute is provided ; shall see that 
the books are neatly and regularly kept, and that the 
entries are made accurately, and without inconvenience 
to the patients. 
Art. IV.—He shall at all times have access to the 
Apothecary’s Shop, and supervision over this depart- 
ment. He shall sign all orders for articles for the Apoth- 
ecary’s Shop in the “ Order-Book,” when satisfied of 
their propriety and necessity, and shall keep in his pos- 
session the Apothecary’s Pass-Book. 12 
House Physician. 
Art. V.—He shall have charge and custody of all 
supplies for the Apothecary’s Department that may be 
purchased in quantity, and shall issue them to the 
Apothecary as they may be needed. 
Art. VI.—He is also authorized to receive, in behalf 
of the Dispensary, any fee that patients may be inclined 
to give for vaccination, or any medical or surgical treat- 
ment derived from the Dispensary. 
Art. VII.—He shall enter, in a book kept for the 
purpose, all sums received, and account for the same to 
the Trustees monthly. 
Art. VIII.—The House Physician shall make a writ- 
ten monthly report to the Trustees upon the general 
condition of the Dispensary, specifying the number of 
persons vaccinated at the Dispensary and at their houses, 
the quantity of virus sold or given away, the condition of 
the instruments and apparatus of the Dispensary, and 
containing such other matters as they may require. 
He shall prepare and present to the Board, in January, 
an annual report, which shall be a summary of the 
monthly reports, and shall also embrace the whole 
number of patients under treatment during the year ; the 
number affected by each disease ; the results, especially 
the deaths, with the disease, so resulting; the number 
cured, relieved, &c., whether attended at the Dispensary 
or in the Districts. He shall also state any facts of gen- 
eral interest connected with the practice of the Dispen- 
sary, such as the prevalence at any part of the year of 
peculiar diseases, the state of the weather at such time, 
or any other cause which may have given rise to such 
diseases, &c. 
In preparing the annual report, the Physicians shall 
give the House Physician any assistance he may call for. 
The annual report shall be subject to the inspection 
of the other Physicians before it is submitted to the 
Board of Trustees. Assistant House Physician. 
13 
CHAPTER V. 
OF THE ASSISTANT HOUSE PHYSICIAN. 
Article I.—The Assistant House Physician, after 
having served a term of two years, shall not be eligible 
for re-appointment to the same office. 
Art. II.—The Assistant House Physician shall attend 
at the Dispensary daily, (Sundays and Holidays excep- 
ted,) from 10 o’clock, a. m., till 4 o’clock, p. m. He 
shall aid the House Physician when required, and sup- 
ply his place in his absence. 
Art. III.—He shall perform vaccination, and, as far 
as possible, ascertain in all cases of vaccination that the 
disease has properly taken. He shall obtain, and, as far 
as possible, keep on hand at the office, a full supply of 
vaccine virus for the use of the Dispensary, for subscrib- 
ing Physicians, and for sale. 
He shall keep a Vaccination Register, in which shall 
be entered, in separate columns, the names and particu- 
lars of each case, whether in or out door, and by whom 
vaccinated. 
He shall also keep a Vaccine Account-Book, in which 
he shall enter the quantity of virus sold and given away, 
and the names of the persons to whom it is delivered. 
He shall account regularly to the Director of the "Vac- 
cine Department for all moneys received from the sale 
of vaccine virus. 
Art. iy.—He shall perform the operation of vene- 
section, cupping, &c., when required by the Attending 
Physicians, and shall see that good order is maintained 
among the patients while waiting to be prescribed for. 14 
Attending Physicians. 
CHAPTER VI. 
OF THE CONSULTING PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS. 
Consulting Physicians and Surgeons are expected to 
give counsel in difficult cases, when solicited to that 
effect by the Physicians of the Dispensary, and also to 
be present and aid in any important surgical operation 
to be performed on any patient of the Institution. 
CHAPTER VII. 
OF THE ATTENDING PHYSICIANS. 
Article I.—It shall be the duty of the Attending 
Physicians to attend regularly at the Dispensary on the 
days and during the hours assigned them for duty, and 
to prescribe for all patients coming under their charge. 
Art. II.—They shall enter, in a Register-Book pro- 
vided for the purpose, the number, name, age, resi- 
dence, disease, &c., of every patient for whom they 
shall prescribe, and also the prescription given to every 
patient. 
Art. III.—They shall furnish every patient prescribed 
for with a card and prescription paper, such as are pro- 
vided for the purpose, and shall accompany the same 
with plain and explicit directions how to take their 
medicines. 
Art. IV.—In case any Attending Physician is not 
present at the Dispensary at the expiration of a quarter 
of an hour after his regular time of attendance, the House 
Physician shall cause the patients of his class to be pre- 
scribed for without further delay. 
Art. V.—No Attending Physician shall prescribe District Physicians. 
15 
during liis hour for patients not belonging to the class 
under his charge, but shall refer such patients to the 
House Physician to be attended to. 
Art. VI.—No Physician not connected with the Dis- 
pensary by appointment of the Trustees shall be allowed 
to prescribe for any patients of the Dispensary except by 
direction of the Visiting Committee. 
Art. VII.—The allotment of the hours of attendance 
at the Dispensary shall be made by the House Physi- 
cian, under the direction of the Committee on Medical 
Appointments. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
OF THE DISTRICT PHYSICIANS. 
Article I.—No District Physician, who shall have 
served a term of three years, dating from the 1st May, 
1875, or thereafter, shall be eligible for re-appointment 
to the same office. 
Art. II.—Each of the four Dispensary Districts shall 
be under the charge of a District Physician, who shall 
reside in his District, and shall visit such patients, 
at their residence therein, as are unable to attend at the 
Dispensary, as often as their cases require. 
Art. III.—Each of the District Physicians shall enter 
in a Register Book, to be provided for the purpose and 
kept at his office, the name, age, sex, residence, disease, 
&c., of every Dispensary patient visited by him, together 
with the result of treatment. He shall also enter in a 
Prescription Book, to be provided for the purpose, all 
prescriptions for medicines given to Dispensary patients 
under his charge, writing the prescriptions upon the 
prescription papers to be provided for that purpose. 16 
District Physicians. 
Art. IV.—Applications for medical attendance in tlie 
districts may be made at tlie residence of the District 
Physician, as well as at the Dispensary, and should 
always be made, when practicable, before 11 o’clock, 
A. M. 
Art. V.—The Register Book and the Prescription 
Book shall be sent to the Dispensary for the inspection 
of the Trustees at every monthly meeting of the Board, 
but they shall at all times be accessible to any of the 
Trustees and the House Physician. 
Art. VI.—The District Physicians shall take notice 
of any accumulations of filth, defective drainage, or 
other causes noxious to health, and report the same, as 
well as the existence of cases of contagious or infectious 
disease, to the Board of Health, for correction. Such 
report shall be made without delay, by means of printed 
blanks provided for that purpose. 
Art. VII.—Each District Physician shall prepare a 
written monthly report to the Trustees of the number 
of patients attended during the month, and such other 
particulars as may be prescribed in the printed forms 
provided for the purpose. Said report shall be made 
out and ready in season to be submitted by the House 
Physician at the monthly meeting of the Trustees. 
Art. VIII.—They shall facilitate the performance of 
vaccination in their respective districts, in co-operation 
with the House Physician and the Director of the Vac- 
cine Department. 
Art. IX.—In case of absence from duty on account 
of sickness or other reasonable cause, notice thereof 
shall be given to the House Physician, and a substitute 
shall be provided. Such a substitution must be, how- 
ever, only for a short time, unless sanctioned by the 
Visiting Committee. Dental Surgeon. 
17 
Art. X.—In cases of emergency, where the Physician 
of the district to which the case belongs cannot be found, 
it shall be the duty of any Physician of the Dispensary, 
who may be first applied to, to attend without delay to 
the case in question. 
CHAPTER IX. 
of the director of the vaccine department. 
Article I.—The Director of the Vaccine Department 
shall have the oversight and direction of the practice of 
vaccination in the Dispensary and in the districts. 
Art. II.—He shall at all times keep on hand a supply 
of vaccine virus for the use of the Dispensary, and for 
sale to the medical profession. 
Art. III.—He shall make a report to the Board of 
Trustees at every monthly meeting of the disbursements 
and receipts from sales of vaccine virus, and an annual 
report of the transactions of the year connected with his 
Department, which latter report shall be presented to 
the Board of Trustees at their meeting in January. 
CHAPTER X. 
OF THE DENTAL SURGEON. 
Article I.—The Dental Surgeon shall attend daily at 
the Dispensary, (Sundays and public holidays except- 
ed,) during such hours as may be directed by the Board, 
and perform all such dental operations for patients at 
the Dispensary as may be required. 
Art. II.—He shall present monthly and annual Re- 
ports of the doings of his Department in the same man- 
ner as the Director of the Vaccine Department. 18 
Duties of the Apothecary, etc. 
CHAPTER XI. 
OF THE APOTHECARY, ETC. 
Article I.—The Apothecary and his Assistant shall 
attend in the office during the hours specified for its 
being kept open in Art. II., Chapter III., except one 
hour to each, separately, for dinner ; that of the Apothe- 
cary not until after two o’clock. 
Art. II.—He shall carefully observe economy in all 
things pertaining to his department, and be accurate in 
the delivery of medicines. In no case is he to change or 
alter the prescriptions of the Physicians, or substitute 
one medicine for another, without their knowledge and 
consent. 
He is to permit no one but the House Physician and 
Trustees to enter or remain unnecessarily in the office. 
Art. III.—He shall prepare and compound the medi- 
cines prescribed by the Physicians ; but no medicine 
shall be dispensed to patients without written directions 
from the Physicians, entered upon appropriate paper. 
Art. IY.—He shall in January take an inventory of 
all the medicines and other property belonging to his 
department, and submit the same to the Board at its 
next stated meeting. 
Art. Y.—He shall not be allowed to pursue any pri- 
vate medical practice. 
Art. YI.—All medicines shall, so far as may be prac- 
ticable, be purchased in their simple state, and be com- 
pounded by him. Duties of the Apothecary, etc. 
19 
Art. VII.—Liquid medicines, intended to be taken in 
tablespoonful doses, shall not be furnished to patients 
in quantities exceeding four fluid ounces, at one time ; 
and liquid medicines intended to be taken in teaspoonful 
doses, shall not be furnished in quantities exceeding two 
fluid ounces at one time. Cinchona, and its prepara- 
tions, should be substituted for Quinia, when a tonic 
effect only is required. Infusions should be substituted 
for tinctures, when practicable. Bandages, lint and 
adhesive plaster shall only be furnished to patients for 
the purpose of being applied at the Dispensary, except 
in special cases. 
Art. YIII.—He shall cause all articles purchased on 
credit for his department to be immediately entered by 
the persons of whom they are bought, in a Pass-book, 
designating date, quantity, kind and price. The Pass- 
book shall be placed in the custody of the House Phy- 
sician. 
Art. IX.—He shall keep an Order-book, and shall 
enter therein all articles required from time to time, for 
the supply of the Apothecary’s Shop. The signatures 
of the President or Vice-President, and of the House 
Physician to each order in the book, shall be requisite 
to render the same valid. 
Art. X.—He shall report monthly to the Trustees 
upon the general condition of his department, and shall 
confide this report to the custody of the House Phy- 
sician. 
Art. XI.—The Assistant Apothecary shall perform 
all services connected with the operations of the Dispen- 
sary, which may be required of him by the Apothecary. 20 
Alteration of By-Laws. 
CHAPTER XII. 
OF THE BY-LAWS. 
Unless by unanimous consent, no alteration shall be 
made in the By-Laws or Regulations, until they are 
reduced to writing, and notice given at a previous meet- 
ing of the Board.