1850 with a thesis on "Histology of Muscular Tissue." In 1868 he became a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences; in 1884 a fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia; he was professor of histology and microscopy in the Woman's Medical College, Philadelphia, 1872–1890. During the Civil War he was acting assistant surgeon U. S. Army in charge of Summit House Hospital, Philadelphia.
Except for a few articles in the Cincinnati Medical News and other journals he wrote little. He was associated with Joseph Zentmayer, our early great manufacturer of microscopic appliances. Professor Harshberger ("Botanists of Philadelphia," page 257) says of Hunt: "As a manipulator of the microscope and preparer of objects he was unsurpassed, but he looked on his skill as only the means to the end—a knowledge of the objects themselves. Having made himself familiar with animal histology, he very early turned his attention to the anatomy of plants of which he acquired an intimate acquaintance. He was one of the very first to apply to plants the methods of staining that were in use for animal tissues, having begun before 1850." He began double staining vegetal tissues in 1853 by methods afterwards published by Dr. Beatty, [George Dobbin Beatty (q. v.)] of Baltimore, whose articles were widely quoted in the journals of this country and Europe."
He married Anna Maria White, daughter of Joseph White of Philadelphia in 1851. They had three daughters who were practising physicians.
Hunt was founder of the Biological and Microscopical Sections of the Academy of Natural Sciences; he was Conservator, 1872 to 1880.
Dr. Harshberger further says of him that "although master of the most refined technique, he never received a large share of popular recognition on account of his native modesty and reserve."
Dr. Hunt died April 29, 1893, at Landsdowne, Pennsylvania.
Hunt, Thomas (1808–1867).
Thomas Hunt was born in Charleston, South Carolina, May 18, 1808, and died in New Orleans, March 20, 1867. Of good lineage, his early education was under the accomplished scholar Bishop England, his studies being directed to law, but his readings embraced all branches of literature and science. His love of the classics adhered to him through life and his proficiency in Greek was profound. Selecting medicine as his profession, he received his M. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1829, then went to Paris, but was soon recalled by the death of his father and entered at once into practice. At the age of twenty-three he lectured on anatomy and operative surgery and taught practical anatomy. When the Amelia was wrecked off Folly Island in 1832 he distinguished himself with Dr. Warren Stone (q. v.), a passenger on that vessel, by his treatment and management of the cholera which attacked the unfortunate crew and voyagers.
In 1833 he removed to New Orleans, again to face cholera and to render himself prominent in the warfare against this disease. He was soon elected surgeon to the Charity Hospital, but held the office for a short while as it interfered with larger plans. He entered actively into the enterprise of establishing the Medical College in Louisiana. The introductory lecture on anatomy he delivered in 1834 and the existence and growth of the university were largely due to Hunt. He held the chairs of anatomy and physiology, pathological anatomy and practice, physiology and pathology and special pathology; was dean of the faculty and at the time of his death president of the University of Louisiana, also surgeon to the Marine Hospital, New Orleans.
He wrote a good deal on dermatology, his pamphlets going through three editions; these included: "Practical Observations on Certain Diseases of the Skin generally pronounced Incurable," London, 1847; "Memoir of the Medicinal Uses of Arsenic," 1849.
The professional life of Dr. Hunt extended over thirty-eight years, thirty-four of which were spent in New Orleans.
Hunt, William (1825–1896).
The son of Uriah and Elizabeth Shreve Hunt, he was born September 26, 1825, at 106 North Fourth Street, Philadelphia, a descendant of a long line of Quakers, who came over here about 1680. He went, as a lad, to a Friends' School, then began to study medicine under Dr. George B. Wood (q. v.), and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1849. He married, in 1856, Rebecca T., daughter of Richard Price, and had three children, William, George and Margaret.
Dr. Hunt was elected to the surgical staff of the Episcopal Hospital in 1853, and served here and at the Wills Hospital, until he was
