Summary
William Hunter (1718–1783), the elder of the two famous Hunter brothers, is best known for his remarkable book The Anatomy to the Human Gravid Uterus, and for his contributions to the art of midwifery. However, Hunter also made significant observations in cardiovascular disease, in comparative anatomy, and paleopathology. It is perhaps not sufficiently known that he also made significant contributions in rheumatic disease, and in particular, the anatomy and physiology of cartilage.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Teacher, J.H. Catalogue of the Anatomical and Pathological Preparations of Dr. William Hunter in the Hunterian Museum, 2 Vols., University of Glasgow, James MacLehose and Sons. Glasgow, 1900.
Fox, R.H. William Hunter, Anatomist, Physician, Obstetrician (1718–1783), with Notices of His Friends Cullen, Smellie, Fothergill and Baillie. H.K. Lewis, London 1901.
Illingworth, Sir Charles. The Story of William Hunter. E. and S. Livingstone Ltd., Edinburgh, 1967.
Brock, C.H. (Editor). William Hunter 1718–1783. A Memoir by S.F. Simmons and J. Hunter. University of Glasgow Press, Glasgow 1983.
Bynum, W.F., Porter, R. (Editors). William Hunter and the Eighteenth-century Medical World. Cambridge University Press, New York, 1985.
Glaister, J. Dr. William Smellie and his contempories; a contribution to the History of Midwifery in the Eighteenth Century. James MacLehose, Glasgow, 1894.
Johnstone, R.W. William Smellie: the Master of British Midwifery. E and S. Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1952.
Cameron, S.J. William Smellie. Scottish Medical Journal, 1957, 2, 439–444.
Bryn, T.K. James Dougles of the Pouch, and His Pupil William Hunter. Pitman, London, 1964.
Hunter, W. Of the structure and diseases of articular cartilages. Philos Trans R Soc Lond, 1744, 42, 514–521.
Dobson, J. John Hunter. E. and S. Livingston, Edinburgh, 1969.
Hunter, W. (1774). The Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus. Republished by The Classics of Medicine Library, Birmingham, Alabama, 1980.
Scott, J. C., Hunt, A.B., Keys, T.E. A note on William Hunter's monograph the Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus. Mayo Clin Proc 1964, 39, 197–204.
Kemp, M. Dr. William Hunter at the Royal Academy of Arts. Edited by M. Kemp, University of Glasgow Press, Glasgow, 1975.
Thornton, J.L. Jan Van Rymsdyk Medical Artist of the Eighteenth Century. The Oleander Press, Cambridge, 1982.
Hunter W. A case of the caesarean section, by William Cooper, communicated by Dr. Hunter. Med Obser Inq, 1771, 4, 261–271.
Hunter, W. An account of the performing of the caesarean operation, with remarks by Henry Thomson, communicated by Dr. Hunter. Med Obser Inq, 1771, 4, 272–287.
Hunter, W. An appendix to the history of a fatal inversion of the uterus by Mr. John Lynn. Med Obser Inq, 1771, 4, 400–409.
Hunter, W. Summary remarks on the retroverted uterus. Med Obser Inq, 1776, 5, 388–393.
Peachy, G.C. William Hunter's obstetrical career. Ann Med History, 1930, NS2, 476–479.
Ollerenshaw, R. Dr. Hunter's ‘Gravid Uterus’ — a bicentenary note Med Biol Ilustration, 1974, 24, 43–57.
Hunter, W. The history of an aneurysm of the aorta, with some remarks on aneurysms in general. Med Observations Inq, 1757, 1, 323–357.
Hunter, W. Further observations upon a particular species of aneurism. Med Observation Inq, 1762, 2, 390–414.
Hunter, W. A postscript to the preceeding case of the varicose aneurism. Med Observations Inq, 1771, 4, 385–387.
Hunter, W. Three cases of mal-formation of the heart. Med Observations Inq, 1784, 6, 291–309.
Hunter, W. The history of an emphysema. Med Observations Inq, 1762, 2, 17–69.
Hunter, W. The successful cure of a severe disorder of the stomach by milk taken in small quantities at once. Med Observations Inq, 1784, 6, 310–318.
Hunter, W. On the uncertainty of the signs of murder in the case of bastard children. Med Observations Inq, 1784, 6, 266–290.
Hunter, W. A short account of Dr. Maty's illness, and of the appearances in the dead body, which was examined on the 3rd of July 1776, the day after his decease, by William Hunter and Henry Watson. Philos Trans R S Lond, 1777, 67, 608–613.
Hunter, W. Observations on the bones, commonly supposed to be elephant bones, which have been found near the River Ohio in America. Philos Trans R Soc Lond, 1768, 58, 34–35.
Hunter, W. An account of the Hyl-ghau an Indian animal not hitherto described. Philos Trans R Soc Lond, 1771, 61, 170–181.
Hunter, W. Account of some bones found in the Rock of Gibraltar. Philos Trans R Soc Lond, 1771, 60, 414–416.
Boyle, J.A., Buchanan, W.W. Clinical Rheumatology. Blackwells Scientific Publicaions, Oxford, 1972, p. 382.
Mackenzie, A. A remarkable separation of part of the thigh bone. Read July 14th, 1760, by William Hunter. Med Observations Inq, 1762, 2, 299–303.
Hunter, W. An account of a diseased tibia. Med observations Inq, 1762, 2, 303–306.
Buchanan, W.W., Murdoch, R.M. Hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis will disappear. J Rheumatol 1979, 6, 324–329.
Thomas, H. A remarkable case of the softness of the bones, by Mr. Henry Thomas, Surgeon to the London Hospital Communicated by Thomas Dickson. Med Observations Inq, 1776, 5, 259–269.
Buchanan, W.W., Kraag, G.R., Palmer, D.G., Cockshott, W.P. The first recorded case of osteitis fibrosa cystica. Canad Med Assoc J. 1981, 124, 812–815.
Hunter, W. A singular case of the separation of the ossa pubis. Med Observations Inq, 1757, 1, 323–357.
Hunter, W. Remarks on the symphysis of the ossa pubis. Med Observations Inq, 1762, 2, 333–339.
Cushing, H. The Life of Sir William Osler. Vol 1, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1925, p. 85.
Tickel, W. Observations on the insensibility of tendons, with an introducation by Dr. Hunter. Med Observations Inq 1771, 4, 343–346.
Wright, V. Heberden Oration 1985. The rheology of joints. Br J Rheumatol, 1986, 25, 243–252.
Salter, R.B., Simmonds, D.F., Malcolm, B.W., Rumble, E.J., MacMichael, D. The effects of continuous passive motion on the healing of articular cartilage defects — an experimental investigation in rabbits. Proc Orthopaedic Res Soc 1975, 57-1, 570–571.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buchanan, W.W., Kean, W.F. & Palmer, D.G. The contribution of William Hunter (1718–1783) to the study of bone and joint disease. Clin Rheumatol 6, 489–503 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330585
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330585