THE GREAT MUSEUMS OF BRITAIN. 73 



various discoveries which he made at this time are only 

 of interest to specialists. In 1759, he was attacked by 

 inflammation of the lungs, which seems to have left him 

 in an unsatisfactory state of health. His relations with 

 his brother William had also become strained, and it was 

 probably difficult for the two to work together smoothly. 

 With a view, therefore, to change of scene and employ- 

 ment, John applied for an appointment in the army, and 

 was immediately made staff-surgeon. In this capacity he 

 saw a good deal of active service, being present at the 

 siege of Belleisle in 1761. In the year following this, he 

 took part in the campaign against Spain, where he like- 

 wise saw a good deal of fighting. One of the fruits of the 

 experience which he gained as military surgeon was the 

 celebrated work, which he published many years after- 

 wards, upon gun-shot wounds. 



At the close of the Seven Years' War, Hunter, having 

 recovered his health, again settled down in London, and 

 commenced practice as a surgeon in 1764. At first his 

 progress was not very rapid, partly because his means 

 were small, and partly because his personal manners do 

 not seem to have been such as to quickly win public 

 confidence or professional good-will. Besides practising, 

 Hunter for several years gave lectures on anatomy 

 and operative surgery to a private class. He was at 

 no time, however, a successful lecturer, and his class 

 never amounted to twenty students. At this time of his 

 life, Hunter is said to have been companionable in his 

 habits, and to have mixed freely in society ; but his pro- 

 fessional engagements began to increase upon him, and he 

 soon became completely absorbed in his scientific pursuits. 



