Volume 9b - History of Anaesthesia Society

An appreciation fraa Dr Jean M HDrton (Gnubridge)
Professor Andrew Huitx, an Honorary Yembr of the Hist ,ry of
Anaesthesia Society (HAS) died in ?larch 1991 aqed 76, havinq been
pro-fressively d~sa>led for some yews with Par'cinssn's disas?. He wds
one of the folmler members of t\e HAS qnd a reqular attenler at its
meetings, his last attzndanca b e i at ~ Southend in 1108.
Ile was bnrn in Cambuslanq, naar Glasqow, and sducated at Mutchinson's
School, Glssgow, receiving his medic;ll education at Glasgai Ihiversity
and qraduating in 1937, After a House Surgeon ?~t 9t Glas~pW Royal
Infirmary, he spent a year at Falkirk Infimry as residsnt medical
officer and resident anaesthetist. Scotland's finest exprts are %er
people, and in 1943 hri w-ls hsad-hunt4 and a ~ i n t d Cons~iltant
Anaesthetist to the Neurosur~iz~l Unit (lead by the neuroaurqeon Sir
Geoffrey Jeffarson) at Manchester Royal Infimry. lie was also
appointed Consultant Anaesthetist to the Thoracic Sur.jic.31 Unit at
IJythenshaci and Raquley Hospital, and to Cheadle Royal Hospital. Thus
his main clinic31 .acP.ivities, to which 'ie contrihted so much, ere in
anaesthasia for neur~s~xlrger;r and thoracic surrIery. Latterly he worked
minly at Manchester Royal infim~y ((RI) and sltliough officially
retired in 1978 at the age of 63, he continuetl to work for five years at
tile rl7I as a Clinic.31 Assistant .and :ms Curatsr of tLle :nuselxn in the
Anaesthetic Dep3rtment, and Consultant Transplant Adviser ta the North
\Vest rejion Erom 1975 to 1991.
These are the bare outlines of the clinic,nl career of a mlch-loved and
admired anaesthetist, a father figure and mentor to mny. His interests
in clinical anaesthesia were manifold; he w;ls a giant and pioneer in
neuro and thoracic atmeat?zsia. He was one of the first to demonstrate
the value of contmlled ventilation for craniot&es and pioneered total
intravenous anaest5eaia with his thiopentone (lrips.
He nust have been one of the few, if not the only anaesthetist with the
diploma of RFPS (Fellcnv of the Tamlty of Physicians and Surgeons of
Gl?isgm) which ho 07staine4 in 1340. In 1942 he wds a-~inled the Glasgw
MD for his thesis on 'Postomrative ~lmonat-y compl-ications', and passd
the DA. He was elected WAnCS in lr,',3.
In Manchester. his aca-lemic ,and tesching abilities *;?re rsc-niszd by
the Faclilty w3o al7pointed him as Honoraty Cecturer in Fharmacolgy in
1947, (there Seing no academic 4e~rtmnt of anaesthetics). He Tqas
appointed Honorary Reader in 1961, to a Dersonal chair in 1971 and
Writus Professor in 1975. He was saddened that he was nqt apwinted
to be the first holder of the Chair of An-esthcsia at the University of
Manchester. He founded t:ie rQncllester and District Society of
Anaesthetists, w'-iich 13t0r Mane t%e Section of Anaesthetics of the
Ihnc!iester Fledicsl Society of which he ivas Presiclent in 1902.
Andrew Hunter's sctivities w?re not confined t3 Manchester or clinical
work. I+e ,.?as al\yays to be seen tnn t'le first Friday of the month, never
failing to contribute to the disc~issions of the Section of Anaesthetics