Massachusetts Surgical Journal – Fallout 4

Massachusetts Surgical Journal is a collectible magazine series in Fallout 4 that provides permanent bonuses to limb damage with melee weapons. Each issue increases the damage dealt to enemy limbs, making this series especially useful for close-quarters combat builds and players who prefer crippling enemies rather than outright killing them.

This guide lists all Massachusetts Surgical Journal magazine locations, with exact pickup details and video walkthroughs to help you collect every issue.

Massachusetts Surgical Journal Perk

Each Massachusetts Surgical Journal magazine increases limb damage with melee weapons by 2%.
All bonuses stack, meaning collecting all issues grants a total increase to melee limb damage, making it easier to cripple enemy arms and legs in close-quarters combat.

Missable: No
All Massachusetts Surgical Journal magazines can be collected during a normal playthrough of Fallout 4 and are not permanently missable.

Issue #1 – Parsons State Insane Asylum

Location: Parsons State Insane Asylum

How to get it: Found inside Parsons State Insane Asylum, at the very bottom floor of the facility. It’s inside Lorenzo’s living quarters.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #2 – Medford Memorial Hospital

Location: Medford Memorial Hospital

How to get it: Found inside Medford Memorial Hospital. It’s in the filing and storage room on the balcony overlooking the main lobby.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #3 – Med-Tek Research

Location: Med-Tek Research

How to get it: Found inside Med-Tek Research. It’s on the lowest floor, on a small table beside a broken terminal in the room where the Prevent is located.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #4 – Greater Mass Blood Clinic

Location: Greater Mass Blood Clinic

How to get it: Found inside the Greater Mass Blood Clinic. It’s in the analyst’s room.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #5 – Sandy Coves Convalescent Home

Location: Sandy Coves Convalescent Home

How to get it: Found inside Sandy Coves Convalescent Home. It’s behind the security door, next to the wall of safes near reception.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #6 – Cambridge Polymer Labs

Location: Cambridge Polymer Labs

How to get it: Found inside Cambridge Polymer Labs. It’s on the desk inside the Director’s office.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #7 – Greenetech Genetics

Location: Greenetech Genetics

How to get it: Found inside Greenetech Genetics, on the third floor. It’s on the table between the two red sofas.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #8 – Boston Public Library 

Location: Boston Public Library

How to get it: Found inside the Boston Public Library. It’s purchased from the book return terminal for 50 tokens.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Issue #9 – Cabot House

Location: Cabot House

How to get it: Found inside Cabot House, on the top floor. It’s in the bedroom on the wooden desk.

Perk: Deal 2% extra limb damage with melee weapons.

Looking for more collectibles? You can find guides for every magazine series and other Fallout 4 collectibles on the Fallout 4 magazines hub page.

For additional background information, see the Massachusetts Surgical Journal entry on the Fallout Wiki.