Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an apothecary; a doctor.

1750		Midwife 153: Dr. Bolus assures us [this] is a strong Proof that the Ancients lived upon a Milk and Vegetable Diet.
1757		P. Bacon Tryal of the Time-killers 55: Dr. Bolus. Lady Melody, my Lord, has been my patient some years.
c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Bolus. A nick name for an apothecary.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd edn).
1793		J.B. Moreton West India Customs and Manners 76: Clysterpipe, who is Doctor Bolus’s brother is very attentive.
1797		Sporting Mag. Apr. X 60/1: A member of this ?sculapian line, / Lived at Newscastle upon Tyne / [...] / His name was [...] Benjamin Bolus.
1831		Navy at Home I 253: ‘I say, Bolus,’ cried the purser in a high key, so as to reach the doctor’s ears.
1838		R.S. Surtees Jorrocks Jaunts (1874) 159: Mr Bolus, the sporting doctor.
1846		Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. (Devon) 29 Aug. 4/1: In the same way [...] a surgeon [is] ’a sawbones,’ and a doctor ‘a bolus-monger’ .
1815		Mysterious Murder III ii: mr. bolus: Being a Surgeon, I was sent for [...] to examine the body.
1848		Ladies’ Repository (N.Y.) Oct. VIII:37 316/1: Bolus, a physician.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1866		Letters by an Odd Boy 61: Bolus, M.D., smiles and makes you all right again.
1878		J. Hatton Cruel London II 282: ‘The doctor, up from the Indian bar, came and said I was wanted in London’ [...] ‘Good for old Bolus,’ said Kerman.
1882		Berwickshire News 14 Nov. 5/5: Readings wree given by the president and Brother Bolus.
1882		Dly Dispatch (Richmond, VA) 1 Nov. 3/3: A ‘bulus’ is a doctor.
1895		Truth (Sydney) 19 May 1/6: A brass plate announcing the fact that ‘Dr Bolus’ resides within.
1906		Sun. Times (Perth) 3 June 4/7: Just about a year since she called on Dr. Bolus of this city to inquire why she felt quite faint .
1917		‘Sapper’ No Man’s Land 51: Could I remind you that there is a war on [...] my splay-footed bolus-booster?
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.
2019		P. Baker Fabulosa 289/2: bolus a chemist.
2023		R. Milward Man-Eating Typewriter 215: [S]tocked up on [...] Max Factor maquiage at the bolus.