NOTE
MEDICAL BODIES
THE MONTREAL MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY
On Saturday, September 23, 1843, nineteen medical men met at the house of Dr. James Crawford, on Little St. James Street, and resolved to found a society “for the purpose of communicating together on subjects connected with their profession.” The founders were:
A.F. Holmes, O.F. Bruneau, J.B.C. Trestler, Archibald Hall, Henry Mount, William McNider, J.G. Bibaud, James Crawford, George W. Campbell, C.S. Sewell, William Sutherland, Francis Badgley, Arthur Fisher, David D. Logan, William Fraser, C.A. Campbell, M. McCulloch, F.C.T. Arnoldi, Peter Munro.
The name chosen for the society was “The Medico-Chirurgical Society of Montreal,” and at a meeting held the following week, a code of by-laws was adopted providing for the holding of fortnightly meetings from the first of October until the first of May, and for monthly meetings during the rest of the year.
The officers consisted of a secretary-treasurer—Dr. Francis Badgley for the first year—and a committee of management of three, elected annually. The members, in the order in which their names appeared on the roll, presided at the meetings and the president for the evening was also expected to provide the principal part of the programme.
In July, 1845, the constitution was altered to provide for a president, two vice presidents, secretary-treasurer, and a committee of management of three, and in August, Dr. A.F. Holmes was elected the first president. During the autumn of the same year an attempt was made to form an association of all the licensed practitioners of the provinces of Canada, and delegates from Toronto, Niagara, Quebec, Three Rivers and Montreal, met in Montreal, but failed to come to any agreement.
A tariff of professional charges was adopted by the society in February, 1846. All patients were divided into two classes and the twenty-four hours were divided into three portions. Day visits, 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.; evening visits, 8 P.M. to 10 P.M.; night visits, 10 P.M. to 7 A.M.