The Boston Magazine for September, 1785.

Founding of Harvard Medical School

The Boston Magazine was published from October, 1783 to December, 1786 and was the first magazine to be published in Boston in the aftermath of the American Revolution. A major attraction of this issue is the presence of the front and rear printed wrappers, although they are frayed and detached. The front wrapper features a large woodcut of the State House and surrounding buildings in Boston. The first 3 1/2 pages of the Magazine are Harvard's announcement (from September, 1783) of the creation of "the Medical Institution," now known as Harvard Medical School. This is followed by about two pages of an address "to the students in physic," i.e., the medical students, reflecting upon the first two years of the medical school and outlining the requirements for a medical degree. About two pages are devoted to the sailing directions into and out of Plymouth Harbour. A brief news item in the "Monthly Chronology" reports a meeting to be held in October in Falmouth (in the District of Maine) on creating a "separate government" for the eastern counties -- a very early report on a separation that would not happen for another 35 years. Issues of The Boston Magazine in the original wrappers are extremely uncommon. References: Mott, A History of American Magazines 1741-1850: Vol. I, p. 28. Richardson, A History of Early American Magazines, 1741-1789: pp. 212-227. Lomazow, American Periodicals: 15.


Condition: Signatures loose. Front and back wrappers present but frayed and detached; top 1/2" or so of front wrapper lacking. Occasional spotting. Interior pages very good. [ICN 2933.].