In consideration of the failure to a great extent of appreciation of the responsibility placed upon them upon the part of those who have been assigned to present certain special subjects, the President and Vice-President, acting as a committee for the nomination of Section officers, decided to omit assignments for this year.-EDITOR.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

OF

The State Medical Association of Texas.

CONSTITUTION.

ARTICLE I.

The name and style of this Association shall be the "STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS."

ARTICLE II.

The object of this Association shall be to organize the regular medical profession of the State in the most efficient manner possible; to encourage a high standard of professional qualifications and ethics; to promote professional brotherhood; to labor for the advancement of State medicine, i. e., of public hygiene; of medical education; of medical jurisprudence and public institutions for the sick and infirm.

ARTICLE III.

Every regularly educated physician within the limits of this State, who is a graduate of a regular medical college in good standing, and who adopts and conforms to the Code of Ethics of the American Medical Association, shall be eligible to membership in this Association, except those of the negro race; provided, that no person shall be eligible to membership who has not complied with the laws of Texas governing the practice of medicine now in force or that shall be hereafter enacted.

ARTICLE IV.

SECTION 1. The officers of this Association shall be one president, three vice-presidents, one secretary, one treasurer, nine chairmen and secretaries of sections, and twelve members of the judicial council.

SEC. 2. The president and vice-presidents shall be elected for one year; the secretary and treasurer shall be elected each for five years; and every officer shall remain in office until his successor is duly elected and installed.

2-Trans.

ARTICLE V.

SECTION 1. It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the Association, when present; to give the casting vote; to see that all the rules of order and decorum are enforced in all deliberations of the body; to sign the approved proceedings of each meeting, and to approve such orders as may be drawn upon the treasurer for expenditures ordered by the Association.

SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the first vice-president to preside in the absence of the president; and in the absence of the president and first vice-president the second vice-president shall preside; and in the absence of the president, first and second vice-presidents, the third vice-president shall preside.

SEC. 3. In the absence of the president and all the vice-presidents the Association shall, by ballot, elect one of its members to preside pro tem.

SEC. 4. It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep a true and correct record of the proceedings of each meeting; to preserve all books, papers and things belonging to the archives of the Association; attest all orders drawn upon the treasurer for moneys appropriated by the Association; keep a register of the members, the dates of their admission and places of residence. He shall attend all committees that may be appointed by the Association with such documents as may be necessary for reference; report such unfinished business of the previous meetings as may appear upon his books, requiring action, and shall attend to such other business as the Association may direct. He shall also supervise and conduct all the correspondence of the Association.

SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the treasurer to collect all moneys due the Association and receipt for same; and keep the accounts of the Association with its members, and pay all orders drawn on him by the president and attested by the secretary and by the chairman of the committee of publication, and make an annual report of the finances of the Association, and furnish the secretary with a list of delinquent members; and, if required, give bond for the faithful performance of the duties of his office.

ARTICLE VI.

Vacancies occurring in the office of the Association shall be filled by appointment by the president, and he shall have the appointment of all the committees not otherwise provided for.

ARTICLE VII.

SECTION 1. The basis of affiliation of county and district societies shall be as follows: First. The adoption of the Code of Ethics of the Ameri

can Medical Association. Second. The payment annually into the treasury of the State Association of ten cents per member. Third. Payment to be made by the first of April in each year. Each county, city, or district society shall be entitled to send delegates to each meeting of the State Association upon a numerical basis as follows: For fifty members or under, one delegate. For each additional fifty members or fraction over thirty, one delegate. Each delegate shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership without payment of dues or initiation fees for the fiscal year to which they may be delegates.

SEC. 2. This constitution shall immediately take effect from its adoption.

BY-LAWS.

ARTICLE I.

The State Medical Association of Texas shall meet annually at such time and place as may be determined by the committee on nomination.

ARTICLE II.

Fifteen members or any number over shall constitute a quorum for business.

ARTICLE III.

The president shall call the meeting to order, cause the secretary to read the proceedings for the previous meeting, which, after approval, shall be adopted.

ARTICLE IV.

In case there be no quorum, the meeting shall adjourn from day to day until such quorum be had.

ARTICLE V.

The annual dues of each member shall be $5.00 United States currency. Initiation fee, $2.50.

ARTICLE VI.

The usual parliamentary rules governing deliberative bodies shall govern the business workings of this Association.

ARTICLE VII.

All questions of business before this Association shall be determined by a majority of votes present.

ARTICLE VIII.

It shall be the duty of the president to deliver, at each annual meeting of the Association, an address.

ARTICLE IX.

One member from each congressional district represented shall constitute a committee on nomination for officers and place of meeting. Said committee shall report action at the beginning of the session on the morning of adjournment. Five members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Their duties shall be to nominate a president, three vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, members of the judicial council, delegates to the American Medical Association, and places of meeting.

NOTE. Since the adoption of the amended constitution it has been the custom to present two names for the office of president, a majority vote deciding the election.

ARTICLE X.

The secretary of the Association shall receive at each annual session a draft from the president upon the treasurer for the sum of $300.00 for valuable services rendered; he shall also be allowed to draw upon the treasurer for expenses incident to his office. The treasurer shall receive for his services $150.00 per annum.

NOTE.-The Association having acted in accordance with the above since the meeting at Fort Worth in 1896, it was decided that Article XVII of the by-laws had been practically enforced.

ARTICLE XI.

It shall be the duty of the president, three months prior to each annual meeting of the Association, to notify by circular the profession of the State and county organizations throughout the State, and urge attendance.

ARTICLE XII.

No personal grievances shall be allowed to come before the general body for discussion. All questions of a personal character, including complaints and protests, and all questions on credentials, shall be submitted