MB ChB Glasgow 1937, MD 1942; FRFPS Glasgow 1940; FRCS Glasgow 1962; FFA RCS Eng 1953; DA Eng 1942.
Hunter was born near Glasgow in 1915 and was educated at Hutcheson's School and Glasgow University. Hunter held junior appointments at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Falkirk Infirmary, and when war broke out joined the Scottish EMS. In 1943 Hunter was appointed consultant anaesthetist to the Neurosurgical Unit at MRI. He was shortly afterwards was appointed to Wythenshawe Hospital and Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, holding these appointments until his retirement. Hunter was a pioneering neuroanaesthesiology, and during his career anaesthetised for Geoffrey Jefferson and A. Graham-Bryce. In 1947, honorary lecturer in the pharmacology department of the University of Manchester, and later reader. He was also honorary lecturer, reader, and finally in 1976, personal professor in the department of anaesthetics. Hunter published mainly on neurosurgical anaesthesia but also on anaesthesia for chest surgery. He was the author of the first book on neuroanesthesia in English in 1964. Hunter retired and was made emeritus professor of the University of Manchester in 1979.
Hunter travelled widely, demonstrating modern anaesthetic methods, and was co-founder of the Neuroanesthesia Travelling Club of Great Britain and Ireland in 1965. Hunter was associated with the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for many years, he was board member, examiner and was vice-dean for two years, and was awarded the Faculty Medal. He was also an honorary member of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and was honorary secretary and president of the Section of Anaesthetics of the Royal Society of Medicine. More locally, Hunter served on many regional committees and was co-founder of the Manchester and District Society of Anaesthetists in 1945. Hunter was honorary treasurer of Manchester Medical Society for eight years and in 1979 was president of Manchester Medical Society and of its Section of Anaesthetics.