duly chartered by and instituted according to the general rules and regulations of the supreme council of the ancient and accepted Scottish rite for the northern jurisdiction of the United States, to be and become entitled to all the benefits, rights and privileges granted by said act, and the trustees elected under the same charged with all the duties specified therein. All the provisions of said act are hereby declared applicable to the several bodies named in this act, with the same effect as if said several bodies were named in the title of said act, and said bodies, and the grand bodies aforesaid by which they were severally duly chartered, and to which they are subordinate, were also specifically named in the several sections of said act.

MEAT, PRESERVING AND DEALING IN.

See MANUFACTURES.

MECHANICAL.

See MANUFACTURES,

MEDICAL COLLEGES.

See COLLEGES 20, 21.

MEDICAL OR CURATIVE PURPOSES.

See MANUFACTURES.

MEDICAL SOCIETIES.

I. MODE OF INCORPORATION-MEMBERSHIP.

(Title 10 of ch. 18 of Part I. of Revised Statutes, 1830.)

WHEREAS well-regulated medical societies have been found to contribute to the diffusion of true science, and particularly the knowledge of the healing art: Therefore,

1. County medical societies, how incorporated.

(Laws of 1813, ch. 94.)

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That it shall and may be lawful for the physicians and surgeons in the several counties of this state, now authorized by law to practise in their several professions, except in those counties wherein medical societies have been already incorporated, to meet together on the first Tuesday of July next, at the place where the last term of the court of common pleas next previous to such meeting was held in their respective counties; and the several physicians and surgeons so convened as aforesaid, or any part of them, being not less than five in number, shall proceed to the choice of a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, who shall hold their offices for one year, and until others shall be chosen in their places; and whenever the said societies shall be organized as aforesaid, they are hereby declared to be bodies corporate and politic, in fact and in name, by the names of the medical society of the county where such societies shall respectively be formed, and by that name shall be in law capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defended, in all courts and places, and in all matters and causes whatsoever; and shall and may have a common seal, and may alter and renew the same at their pleasure: Provided always, That if the said physicians and surgeons shall not meet and organize themselves at such time and place as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for them to meet at such other time as a majority of them shall think proper; and their proceedings shall be as valid as if such meeting had been at the time before specified.

2. The present county societies to continue incorporated. Their privileges and general powers.

§ 2. And be it further enacted, That the medical societies of counties already incorporated, shall continue to be bodies corporate and politic, in fact and in name, by the names of the medical society of the county where such societies have respectively been formed, and by that name shall be in law capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defended, in all courts and places, and in all matters and causes whatsoever, and shall and may have a common seal, and may alter and renew the same at their pleasure, and that the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, of such incorporated societies, shall hold their offices for one year, and until others shall be chosen in their places.

3. State medical society, how constituted and composed.

3. And be it further enacted, That the medical society already incorporated, by the style and name of the Medical Society of the state of New York, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate, in fact and in name, and by that name shall be in law capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defending and being defended, in all courts and places, and in all matters and causes whatsoever, and shall and may have and use a common seal and may change and alter the same at their pleasure; and that the said society shall be composed of one member from each of the county societies in the state, elected by ballot at their annual meeting, who shall meet together at the time and place appointed by the said society for that purpose, and being met, not less than fifteen in number, may annually elect by ballot, a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer, who shall

hold their offices for one year, and until others shall be chosen in their places. [As amended by Laws of 1853, ch. 317.]

4. Anniversary meetings. Proceedings of first meetings, where deposited.

4. And be it further enacted, That the medical society of the state of New York, and also the medical societies of the respective counties, shall and may agree upon and determine the times and places of their meeting; and the time so agreed upon shall forever thereafter be the anniversary day of holding their respective meetings; and it is hereby made the duty of the secretary of each of the county medical societies, to lodge in the office of the clerk of their respective counties, if not already done, a copy of all the proceedings had at their first meeting; and it shall also be the duty of the secretary of the medical society of the state of New York, in like manner, to lodge in the office of the secretary of this state, a copy of their proceedings had at their first general meeting; and the said clerks and secretary are hereby required to file the same in their respective offices, for which they shall each receive the sum of twelve and a half cents.

5. State society divided into classes.

§ 5. And be it further enacted, That the members now composing the medical society of the state of New York from each of the four great districts, shall remain divided into four classes, and one class from each of said districts shall go out of office annually.

6. Notice, how given, of vacancies in the state society.

§ 6. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the secretary of the medical society of the state

of New York, whenever the seats of any of the members shall become vacant, to give information of the same to the respective county societies, to the end that such county societies may supply such vacancy at their next meeting.

7. Classes in the state society may be varied, and how.

§ 7. And be it further enacted, That in case there shall be an addition to the number of members composing the medical society of the state, that in that case it shall be in the power of the said society at any of their annual meetings, and as often as they shall judge necessary, to alter and vary the classes in such manner as that one fourth of the members from each of the great districts, as near as may be, shall annually go out of office.

8. Vacancies in state society, how filled.

§ 8. And be it further enacted, That if the seat of any member of the medical society of the state of New York shall be vacated, either by death, resignation, or removal from the county, it shall be the duty of the medical society of such county to fill such vacancy at their next meeting after such vacancy shall happen.

9. Medical societies to examine students.

9. And be it further enacted, That the medical societies established as aforesaid, are hereby respectively empowered to examine all students who shall and may present themselves for that purpose, and to give diplomas under the hand of the president and seal of such society before whom such student shall be examined, which diploma shall be sufficient to empower the person so obtaining the same to practise physic or surgery, or both, as shall be set forth in the said diploma, in any part of this state.