On Nov. 1, 1781, the Massachusetts Medical Society was established, and its charter was signed by Samuel Adams, as president of the Senate, and by John Hancock, as governor of the Commonwealth.

There had been before this time a medical society in Boston, which was the first one formed in America. It appears to have been in existence as early as the year 17B5, though it did not continue long. Its records are irretrievably lost, and all that is known about it is gathered from fragmentary sources.