Alexandria Library
Document of the Month
November 2003
 

Document of Indenture to Study Medicine & Apothecary, 1764

The first page reads in part:

"This indenture witnesseth that Saml Carson of the Town and County of Armagh...doth put Himself with the consent of his Father Nehemiah Carson of the Town and Couny afforesaid Apprentice to Saml Maxwell of the afforesaid Surgeon & Apothecary to learn his Art and Mysterie...he shall not waste the Goods of his Master...nor contract Matrimony...he shall not Play at Cards, Dice, Tables or any other unlawful Games...without the Licence of his said Master...not haunt nor use Taverns, Ale-Houses or Play-Houses..."

The second page reads in part:

"Know all Men by these Presents, that we Nehemiah Carson, Saml King and Saml Carson all of the Town of Armagh are bolden and firmly Bound unto Saml Maxwell of the afforesaid Surgeon and Apothecary in the Sum of Fifty Pounds Sterl...Third Day of March in the Year of our Lord, 1764 and in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign George Third by the Grace of God of Great-Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc...."

The back of the document reads:

"I do hereby certify that Saml Carson, during his apprenticeship paid the strictest attention to his business, behaved honestly and soberly and through the course of five years had, besides the advantages of attending the Charitable Infirmary for Three Years, very frequent oportunites of seeing most of the operations of Surgery in private practice, particularly that of the Trepan, Fistula in ano, amputations, Extractions of Polypi, With the Treatment of Gangrenes and Some compound Fractures. And that in all respects so far as I can Judge Testified a real genious for the Profession he was about to Learn. Signed Saml Maxwell Dated Armagh, 21st March 1769"