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Before it, at such time and place as may have been arranged, shall be delivered the annual address of the president and the annual orations, and the entire time of the session so far as may be shall be devoted to papers and discussions relating to scientific medicine.

SEC. 2. The general meeting shall have authority to create committees or commissions for scientific investigations of special interest and importance to the profession and public, and to receive and dispose of reports of the same; but any expense in connection therewith must first be approved of by the House of Delegates.

SEC. 3. Except by special vote, the order of exercises, papers and discussions as set forth in the official program shall be followed from day to day until it has been completed.

SEC. 4. No address or paper before the Association, except those of the president and orators, shall occupy more than twenty minutes in its delivery; and no member shall speak longer than five minutes, nor more than once on any subject.

SEC. 5. All papers read before the society shall be its property. Fach paper shall be deposited with the secretary when read.

CHAPTER IV.

HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

SECTION 1. The House of Delegates shall meet annually at 2 p. m. on the day preceding the annual session of the Association, and shall so fix its hours of meeting as not to conflict with the first general meeting of the Association, or with the meeting held for the address of the president and the annual oration, and so as to give delegates an opportunity to attend the other scientific proceedings and discussions so far as is consistent with their duties. But if the business interests of the Association and profession require, it may remain in session after the final adjournment of the general meeting. The order of business shall be arranged as a separate section of the program.

SEC. 2. Each component county society shall be entitled to send to the House of Delegates each year one delegate for every 100 members, and one for each fraction thereof, but each county society holding a charter from this Association, which has made its annual report and paid its assessment as provided in this Constitution and By-Laws, shall be entitled to one delegate.

SEC. 3. A majority of the registered delegates shall constitute a quorum, and all of the meetings of the House of Delegates shall be open to members of the Association.

SEC. 4. It shall, through its officers, council and otherwise, give diligent attention to and foster the scientific work and spirit of the Associa

tion, and shall constantly study and strive to make each annual session a stepping-stone to future ones of higher interest.

SEC. 5. It shall consider and advise as to the material interests of the profession, and of the public in those important matters wherein it is dependent upon the profession, and shall use its influence to secure and enforce all proper medical and public health legislation, and to diffuse popular information in relation thereto.

SEC. 6. It shall make careful inquiry into the condition of the profession of each county in the State, and shall have authority to adopt such methods as may be deemed most efficient for building up and increasing the interest in such county societies as already exist, and for organizing the profession in counties where societies do not exist. It shall especially and systematically endeavor to promote friendly intercourse between physicians of the same locality, and shall continue these efforts until every physician in every county of the State who can be made reputable has been brought under medical society influence.

SEC. 7. It shall encourage post-graduate work in medical centers, as well as home study and research, and shall endeavor to have the results utilized and intelligently discussed in the county societies. With these ends in view, five years after the adoption of these By-Laws no voluntary paper shall be placed upon the annual program or be heard in the Association which has not first been read in the county society of which the author is a member.

SEC. 8. It shall elect representatives to the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of that body in such a manner that not more than one-half of the delegates shall be elected in any one year.

SEC. 9. It shall, upon application, provide and issue charters to county societies organized to conform to the spirit of this Constitution and By-Laws.

SEC. 10. In sparsely settled sections it shall have authority to organize the physicians of two or more counties into societies, to be designated by hyphenating the names of two or more counties so as to distinguish them from district and other classes of societies, and these societies, when organized and chartered, shall be entitled to all the privileges and representation provided herein for county societies, until such counties may be organized separately.

SEC. 11. It shall divide the State into fifteen councilor districts, and, when the best interests of the Association and profession will be promoted thereby, each a district medical society, and all members of component county societies, and no others, shall be members in such district societies. When so organized, from the presidents of such district societies shall be chosen the vice-presidents of this Association, and the presidents of the

county societies of the district shall be the vice-presidents of such district societies.

SEC. 12. It shall have authority to appoint committees for special purposes from among members of the Association who are not members of the House of Delegates, and such committees may report to the House of Delegates in person, and may participate in the debate thereon.

SEC. 13. It shall approve all memorials and resolutions issued in the name of the Association before the same shall become effective.

SEC. 14. It shall present a summary of its proceedings to the last general meeting of each annual session, and shall publish the same.

CHAPTER V.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

SECTION 1. All elections shall be by secret ballot, and a majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect.

SEC. 2. The House of Delegates on the first day of the annual session shall select a Committee on Nomination, consisting of five delegates, no two of whom shall be from the same councilor district. It shall be the duty of this committee to consult with the members of the Association and to hold one or more meetings, at which the best interests of the Association and of the profession of the State for the ensuing year shall be carefully considered. The committee shall report the result of its deliberations to the House of Delegates in the shape of a ticket, containing the names of three members for the office of president and of one member for each of the other offices to be filled at that annual session. No two candidates for president shall be named from the same county.

SEC. 3. The report of the Nominating Committee and the election of officers shall be the first order of business of the House of Delegates after the reading of the minutes on the morning of the last day of the general session. SEC. 4. Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent additional nominations being made by members of the House of Delegates.

CHAPTER VI.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

SECTION 1. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the House of Delegates; shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for; shall deliver an annual address at such time as may be arranged; shall give a deciding vote in case of a tie, and shall perform such other duties as custom and parliamentary usage may require. He shall be

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the real head of the profession of the State during his term of office, and, as far as practicable, shall visit, by appointment, the various sections of the State and assist the councilors in building up the county societies, and in making their work more practical and useful.

SEC. 2. The vice-presidents shall assist the president in the discharge of his duties. In the event of his death, resignation or removal, the council shall select one of the vice-presidents to succeed him.

SEC. 3. The treasurer shall give bond for the trust reposed in him whenever the House of Delegates shall deem it requisite. He shall demand and receive all funds due the Association, together with the bequests and donations. He shall, under the direction of the House of Delegates, sell or lease any estate belonging to the Association, and execute the necessary papers; and shall, in general, subject to such direction, have the care and management of the fiscal affairs of the Association. He shall pay money out of the treasury only on a written order of the president, countersigned by the secretary; he shall subject his accounts to such examination as the House of Delegates may order, and he shall annually render an account of his doings and of the state of the funds in his hands. He shall charge upon his books the assessments against each component county society at the end of the fiscal year; he shall collect and make proper credits for the same, and perform such other duties as may be assigned to him. The expenses of the treasurer in attending the annual sessions may be paid by the House of Delegates.

SEC. 4. The secretary, acting with the committee on scientific work, shall prepare and issue the programs for and attend all meetings of the Association and of the House of Delegates, and he shall keep minutes of their respective proceedings in separate record books. He shall be custodian of all record books and papers belonging to the Association, except such as properly belong to the treasurer, and shall keep account of and promptly turn over to the treasurer all funds of the Association which come into his hands. He shall provide for the registration of the members and delegates at the annual sessions. He shall keep a card-index register of all the legal practitioners of the State by counties, noting on each his status in relation to his county society, and upon request shall transmit a copy of this list to the American Medical Association for publication. In so far as it is in his power he shall use the printed matter, correspondence and influence of his office to aid the councilors in the organization and improvement of the county societies, and in the extension of the power and usefulness of this Association. He shall conduct the official correspondence, notifying members of meetings, officers of their election, and committees of their appointment and duties. He shall act as chairman of the committees on scientific work and on publication. He shall employ such assist

ants as may be ordered by the council or House of Delegates. He shall annually make a report of his doings to the House of Delegates.

In order that the secretary may be enabled to give that amount of time to his duties which will permit of his becoming proficient, it is desirable that he should receive some compensation. The amount of his salary shall be fixed by the House of Delegates.

CHAPTER VII.

COUNCIL.

SECTION 1. The council shall hold daily meetings during the annual session of the Association and at such other times as necessity may require, subject to the call of the chairman or on petition of three councilors. It shall meet on the last day of the annual session of the Association for reorganization and for the outlining of work for the ensuing year. At this meeting it shall elect a chairman and secretary, and the latter shall keep a record of its proceedings. It shall, through its chairman, make an annual report to the House of Delegates at such time as may be provided.

SEC. 2. Each councilor shall be organizer, peacemaker and censor for his district. He shall visit each county in his district at least once a year for the purpose of organizing component societies where none exist, for inquiring into the condition of the profession, and for improving and increasing the zeal of the county societies and their members. He shall make an annual report of his doings, and of the condition of the profession of each county in his district to each annual session of the House of Delegates. The necessary traveling expenses incurred by such councilor in the line of the duties herein imposed may be allowed by the House of Delegates upon a proper itemized statement, but this shall not be construed to include his expense in attending the annual session of the Association.

SEC. 3. Collectively the council shall be the Board of Censors of the Association. It shall consider all questions involving the rights and standing of members, whether in relation to other members, to the component societies, or to this Association. All questions of an ethical nature brought before the House of Delegates or the general meeting shall be referred to the council without discussion. It shall hear and decide all questions of discipline affecting the conduct of members or of a county society, upon which an appeal is taken from the decision of an individual councilor. Its decision in all such cases shall be final.

SEC. 4. The council shall have the right to communicate the views of the profession and of the Association in regard to health, sanitation and other important matters to the public and the lay press. Such communications shall be officially signed by the chairman and secretary of the council, as such.

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