loblolly boy

American  

noun

Obsolete.

1. an assistant to the surgeon on board a ship.

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loblolly boy British  

noun

1. navy (formerly) a boy or man acting as a medical orderly on board ship

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Etymology

Origin of loblolly boy

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

A loblolly boy, therefore, was the surgeon's assistant who did the feeding.

From BBC

For example, new words like loblolly boy and how ships were designed in the 1680s.

From The Guardian

I was ably assisted, however, in my arduous duties, which, by the way, occupied me very nearly half an hour every morning, after, not before, breakfast, by the loblolly boy “Sugar o’ Lead.”

From Project Gutenberg

Nero’s life on board this particular ship was a very happy one, for everybody loved him, from the captain downwards to the little loblolly boy who washed the bottles, spread the plasters, and made the poultices.

From Project Gutenberg

For just that moment there came along a squall which nearly took the sticks out of her, and we had just been experiencing 'evenin' red and mornin' gray,' 'When they made you a supercargo, Mr. Whiting,' said I, 'they spoiled a good loblolly boy.'

From Project Gutenberg