Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 15 December 2004

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On the 28th of October, 1837, in pursuance of a call addressed to the scientific practitioners of Warren and adjoining counties, the following persons met in Lebanon and organized the Lebanon Medical Society, viz., Henry Baker, John Van Harlingen, John P. Haggott, Otho Evans, John Cottle, Alvin McAllister, Joshua Stevens, William M. Charters, David Baird, J. P. Compton, Lewis Drake, Elias Fisher, Jesse Harvey, S. M. Ballard, W. B. Strout, Lucius A. Cottle, Benjamin Erwin, Moses H. Keever, Aaron Wright and B. Roach. Dr. Joshua Stevens was elected President, and Dr. John Van Harlingen, Recording Secretary. The society resolved to abide by the rules and regulations adopted, and to use all honorable means to discountenance quackery, and recommended a general attendance at the meetings of the State Medical Society.

The second meeting of the society was held January 30, 1838, when a constitution and by-laws, a code of ethics and a bill of prices were adopted. A committee was appointed to prepare a memorial to the Legislature for the repeal of the law taxing physicians. The society was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly passed in 1837. Within two years after its organization, the society numbered twenty-eight members. The meetings were held semi-annually, and were generally well attended, from twelve to twenty members usually being present at each meeting. An attempt was made to enforce attendance by fines. The minutes of 1839 show that a member was fined $5 for absence and failure to read a dissertation, and memberships were forfeited for non-payment of fines. The society early secured a seal to be affixed to diplomas granted to the members. The diplomas were printed, not in Latin, but in English. Standing committees were appointed on the subjects of "Quackery," "Collateral Sciences" and "Improvements in the Science of Medicine." Besides reports on these subjects, there were papers read at early meetings as

In 1838, the society passed the following:

Resolved, That no applicant who has not acquired a competent knowledge of chemistry, natural philosophy, botany and comparative anatomy, shall receive the diploma of this society.

Resolved, That it is the opinion of this society that no medical school ought to confer the degree of Doctor in Medicine on any Candidate who has not attained to a competent knowledge of all those branches of learning usually termed with reference to medicine, "the Associate Sciences."

The Corresponding Secretary was instructed to open a correspondence with other societies, both medical and scientific, in the State, urging them to join in endeavors to have the geological survey of the State continued.

In October, 1839, it was resolved that "the society appoint three members, whose duty it shall be to procure and preserve specimens of plants—including the whole plant—and specimens of minerals, each of whom shall deliver an address or lecture, one on Botany, one on Mineralogy and one on Geology, at three successive meetings—one addressing each meeting; said committee to be authorized to procure, at the expense of the society, such means for the safe keeping of whatever may be collected." In pursuance of this resolution, Dr. J. G. Paulding made reports at subsequent meetings on Botany and Dr. Jesse Harvey on Geology. Dr. Paulding exhibited a blank-book procured for the society for the preservation of botanical specimens. The members were earnestly requested to prepare and present to the society skeletons of different animals for the purpose of facilitating the study of Comparative Anatomy.

In 1840, the society resolved "that hereafter applicants for admission shall present to the Censors either a diploma from some respectable medical college, or a certificate of membership in a respectable society of scientific physicians or submit to an examination by the Censors."

In October, 1842, it was resolved "that it shall be deemed a breach of medical ethics for any member of this society to attend, in consultation with any physician, who has had an opportunity of becoming a member of this association, and has refused or neglected to embrace it." But, at the next meeting, in May, 1843. the resolution was rescinded and the following adopted in its place: "It shall be deemed a breach of medical ethics for any member of this society to consult with any person who has not evidence of such qualifications as would entitle him to membership in this society."

In 1846, two members were expelled from the society for engaging in the sale of nostrums, the society being of the opinion "that such traffic is decidedly prejudicial to the public welfare, and when in the hands of a physician, calculated to hinder the advancement of true science and depress the character of the medical profession."
At the October meeting of 1848, the society expressed its confidence in the purity of the pharmaceutical preparations of the Shakers at Union Village, and heartily commended them to the profession, especially the extracts of the narcotic plants and sarsaparilla. And, in May, 1849, it was resolved "that this society, so far as practicable, will make no purchases from druggists engaged in the sale and manufacture of patent medicines." In the same year, by a unanimous vote, a member was expelled for compounding and vending certain medicines, which the society regarded as secret nostrums.

The meetings of the society were held regularly for a period of about thirty years. From various causes, about 1859 the profession began to lose interest