84 NATURAL HISTORY. 



project fell through. In 1776, he received the appoint- 

 ment of surgeon-extraordinary to the king; and in the 

 same year he suffered from a severe attack of some 

 obscure nervous complaint, which laid him up for some 

 months. In 1780, he had an unfortunate controversy 

 with his brother William as to their respective claims to 

 an anatomical discovery of considerable importance, and 

 the result of this was the estrangement for a long period 

 of the two brothers. In 1783, Hunter purchased the 

 remainder of the lease of some extensive premises in 

 Leicester Square, where he erected suitable accommodation 

 for his rapidly extending museum, and whither he removed 

 from his former residence in Jermyn Street. 



At this time Mr (after Sir) Everard Home, who 

 was Hunter's brother-in-law, and who had been on 

 foreign service as a staff-surgeon, returned to England, 

 and from this time forward attached himself to John 

 Hunter's fortunes, and became his assistant. Home 

 has left it on record that at this period Hunter 

 was 'at the height of his chirurgical career; his mind 

 and body were both in their full vigour; his hands 

 were capable of performing whatever was suggested by 

 his mind; and his judgment was matured by former 

 experience.' A few years more, however, of almost 

 unbroken prosperity, and of unintermitting labour at his 

 profession, in teaching, and in extending his splendid 

 collection, were all that remained to the great anatomist. 

 In 1785, he began again to suffer from attacks of that 

 most painful and distressing malady, angina pectoris ; and 

 though he was able to carry on his ordinary avocations, 

 and indeed was able to enjoy existence between the onsets 



