“By means of Dr. Huck’s and Dr. Franklin’s friends, I have been introduced to Sir John Pringle, and have the honour of belonging to a Medical Society, which meets every Wednesday evening at his house. The plan of it is not unlike the Medical Society you have established in Philadelphia; it consists of only eight or ten, who are all Sir John’s particular friends.” The Society in which Dr. Morgan and the gentlemen mentioned were interested, did not survive the Revolution, when another Association was formed, entitled the “American Medical Society.” With respect to this we have met with the following notice:—
“ The American Medical Society will meet at the College on Monday, Nov. 2d (1783), at 7 o’clock in the evening.
Four other Societies subsequently came into existence. The College of Physicians was organized in 1787, and was the third body of medical men associated for medical improvement. Next came the Philadelphia Medical Society, the Academy of Medicine, and the Medical Lyceum, which latter, in 1816, was merged into the Medical Society.
The Philadelphia Medical Society was instituted in 1789, was first incorporated in 1792, and re-chartered in 1827. It was intended “for the purpose of mutual improvement in the science of medicine, and for the promoting of medical knowledge.” It consisted of Junior and Honorary members; the first-mentioned pertaining to the class of students. The exercises consisted of papers on medical subjects, and debates upon them, in which all were permitted to participate. This Society, after a spirited career of sixty years, ceased an active existence in 1846. Besides Drs. Rush and Barton, two other Professors of the University were elected to the office of President. Dr. Physick succeeded Dr. Barton in 1815, and Dr. Chapman succeeded Dr. Physick in 1837. It was the fourth Medical Society organized in this city, and was evidently founded in imitation of the Edinburgh Medical Society.
