John Irvine Hunter
Encyclopedia
John Irvine Hunter was an Australia
n professor of Anatomy
.
Hunter was born in Bendigo, Victoria, the third son of Henry Hunter, a furniture dealer, and Isabella née Hodgson. At eight years of age, Hunter had an attack of pneumonia
and was sent to recuperate with an aunt in Albury, New South Wales
, where he stayed for some years. He was educated first at Albury Public school (1906-12), and later at the academically selective Fort Street High School
, Sydney
, which he left with a bursary and an exhibition. As a medical student at Sydney University despite circumstances making it necessary for him to earn money by coaching, he succeeded in winning practically all available prizes and scholarships. Hunter graduated with first class honours in 1920. From 1917 to 1920, Hunter was a medical tutor at Wesley College, Sydney University and from 1918 to 1920 a demonstrator in anatomy in 1918-20.
Hunter had enlisted for active service in 1917 and actually went into camp, but his remarkable merits had been recognized both by his fellow students and his teachers, and steps were taken which resulted in his being officially ordered to return to his studies. In 1920 Professor Wilson, who had taken great interest in Hunter, resigned the Challis professorship of anatomy at Sydney, to become regius professor of anatomy at Cambridge
. On his suggestion in July 1920, Hunter was appointed associate professor of anatomy. Hunter was then only 22 years of age. About 12 months later he left for Europe to pursue his studies further, and for a year acted as an honorary lecturer at Cambridge. Before he had left Australia Hunter had done "three important researches in utterly different fields of embryology
, anthropology
, and physiology
. Hunter cleared up many of the difficulties in the interpretation of ovarian pregnancy, in the real significance of the occurrence of neanderthaloid characters in aboriginal Australians
, and in analysing the complicated factors of spinal shock following transverse section of the spinal cord" (Grafton Elliot Smith
, The Lancet, 20 December 1924). While at Cambridge he did a lot of teaching and lecturing, and made himself familiar with the methods of leading anatomical schools in Great Britain and on the continent. He also gave much time to research and made valuable contributions to the solution of problems raised by the Piltdown skull
and Rhodesian remains in the British Museum. Hunter returned to Australia by way of the United States and Canada, and stayed long enough to give some lectures. The Challis professorship of anatomy had in the meantime been kept open for him, and he was appointed to that position in December 1922, a few weeks before he reached the age of 25.
Before leaving Sydney, Hunter had been much interested in the physiological researches of Dr N. D. Royle. When he returned they did valuable research work together. In October 1923 a demonstration of the result of their work was given in the lecture theatre of the department of anatomy, Sydney. On 7 May 1924 the university of Sydney conferred the degree of doctor of medicine with first class honours on Hunter, and he also received the university medal and the Ethel Talbot Prize. In March Dr William J. Mayo
and other representatives of the American College of Surgeons visited Australia, and were so impressed with the work of Drs Royle and Hunter that they invited them to deliver the Dr John B. Murphy oration in surgery at New York in October 1924 . There the genius of Hunter was immediately recognized, and the youngest professor of anatomy at any important university, became one of the most important figures at this great American congress.
Hunter then went to England
and it was intended that he should give a course of three lectures to his former colleagues. He gave one lecture on 5 December, but had contracted Typhoid fever
on his way to England, and died at University College Hospital
on 10 December 1924, to the great grief of all who had known him. For Hunter was not only a great scientist, he was liked by people he became acquanted with. It was at one time feared that he might be spoilt by the success and adulation he received, but he remained simple, transparently honest, and modest. He was a fluent speaker with great gifts of exposition, and the most difficult subjects were made by him to appear plain and almost simple. His early death was a great loss to science. Hunter married in February 1924 Hazel Annie McPherson. A posthumous son, Irvine John Hunter, was born on 6 September 1925.
Portraits by John Longstaff and William Beckwith McInnes
were painted after his death; both hang in the Anderson Stuart building of the University of Sydney. Bronze medallions, sculpted by Rayner Hoff
, are held at Wesley College, the University and Fort Street High School.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professor of Anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
.
Hunter was born in Bendigo, Victoria, the third son of Henry Hunter, a furniture dealer, and Isabella née Hodgson. At eight years of age, Hunter had an attack of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and was sent to recuperate with an aunt in Albury, New South Wales
Albury, New South Wales
Albury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
, where he stayed for some years. He was educated first at Albury Public school (1906-12), and later at the academically selective Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, which he left with a bursary and an exhibition. As a medical student at Sydney University despite circumstances making it necessary for him to earn money by coaching, he succeeded in winning practically all available prizes and scholarships. Hunter graduated with first class honours in 1920. From 1917 to 1920, Hunter was a medical tutor at Wesley College, Sydney University and from 1918 to 1920 a demonstrator in anatomy in 1918-20.
Hunter had enlisted for active service in 1917 and actually went into camp, but his remarkable merits had been recognized both by his fellow students and his teachers, and steps were taken which resulted in his being officially ordered to return to his studies. In 1920 Professor Wilson, who had taken great interest in Hunter, resigned the Challis professorship of anatomy at Sydney, to become regius professor of anatomy at Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. On his suggestion in July 1920, Hunter was appointed associate professor of anatomy. Hunter was then only 22 years of age. About 12 months later he left for Europe to pursue his studies further, and for a year acted as an honorary lecturer at Cambridge. Before he had left Australia Hunter had done "three important researches in utterly different fields of embryology
Embryology
Embryology is a science which is about the development of an embryo from the fertilization of the ovum to the fetus stage...
, anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, and physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
. Hunter cleared up many of the difficulties in the interpretation of ovarian pregnancy, in the real significance of the occurrence of neanderthaloid characters in aboriginal Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, and in analysing the complicated factors of spinal shock following transverse section of the spinal cord" (Grafton Elliot Smith
Grafton Elliot Smith
Sir Grafton Elliot Smith, FRS FRCP was an Australian anatomist and a proponent of the hyperdiffusionist view of prehistory.-Professional career:Smith was born in Grafton, New South Wales...
, The Lancet, 20 December 1924). While at Cambridge he did a lot of teaching and lecturing, and made himself familiar with the methods of leading anatomical schools in Great Britain and on the continent. He also gave much time to research and made valuable contributions to the solution of problems raised by the Piltdown skull
Piltdown Man
The Piltdown Man was a hoax in which bone fragments were presented as the fossilised remains of a previously unknown early human. These fragments consisted of parts of a skull and jawbone, said to have been collected in 1912 from a gravel pit at Piltdown, East Sussex, England...
and Rhodesian remains in the British Museum. Hunter returned to Australia by way of the United States and Canada, and stayed long enough to give some lectures. The Challis professorship of anatomy had in the meantime been kept open for him, and he was appointed to that position in December 1922, a few weeks before he reached the age of 25.
Before leaving Sydney, Hunter had been much interested in the physiological researches of Dr N. D. Royle. When he returned they did valuable research work together. In October 1923 a demonstration of the result of their work was given in the lecture theatre of the department of anatomy, Sydney. On 7 May 1924 the university of Sydney conferred the degree of doctor of medicine with first class honours on Hunter, and he also received the university medal and the Ethel Talbot Prize. In March Dr William J. Mayo
William James Mayo
William James Mayo, M.D. was a physician in the United States and one of the seven founders of the Mayo Clinic. He and his brother, Charles Horace Mayo, both joined their father's private medical practice in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, after graduating from medical school in the 1880s...
and other representatives of the American College of Surgeons visited Australia, and were so impressed with the work of Drs Royle and Hunter that they invited them to deliver the Dr John B. Murphy oration in surgery at New York in October 1924 . There the genius of Hunter was immediately recognized, and the youngest professor of anatomy at any important university, became one of the most important figures at this great American congress.
Hunter then went to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and it was intended that he should give a course of three lectures to his former colleagues. He gave one lecture on 5 December, but had contracted Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
on his way to England, and died at University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
on 10 December 1924, to the great grief of all who had known him. For Hunter was not only a great scientist, he was liked by people he became acquanted with. It was at one time feared that he might be spoilt by the success and adulation he received, but he remained simple, transparently honest, and modest. He was a fluent speaker with great gifts of exposition, and the most difficult subjects were made by him to appear plain and almost simple. His early death was a great loss to science. Hunter married in February 1924 Hazel Annie McPherson. A posthumous son, Irvine John Hunter, was born on 6 September 1925.
Portraits by John Longstaff and William Beckwith McInnes
William Beckwith McInnes
William Beckwith McInnes was an Australian portrait painter, winner of the Archibald Prize seven times for his traditional style paintings.-Early life:...
were painted after his death; both hang in the Anderson Stuart building of the University of Sydney. Bronze medallions, sculpted by Rayner Hoff
Rayner Hoff
Rayner Hoff was a sculptor who worked in Australia.Born on the Isle of Man, Hoff was the son of a stone and wood carver of Dutch descent. He began helping his father on architectural commissions at a very young age and briefly attended the Nottingham School of Art where he studied drawing, design,...
, are held at Wesley College, the University and Fort Street High School.