Known CSA Veterans at Cedar Hill Cemetery
Vicksburg, Mississippi
 

Not Forgotten

 

James M. Hunt M.D.
Born June 11, 1830
Died July 17, 1888
 

This small biography is from Biograpbical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi (Vol. I), The Reprint Company, Publishers, Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1978 (1891), pg. 993.

"Dr. James M. Hunt, referred to in the life of his father-in-law, Col. E. G. Cooke, was more than an ordinary man. When he graduated at Tulane medical college, New Orleans, Dr. Warren Stone was so pleased with the young physician that he employed him as assistant in his infirmary. Dr. Stone's recommendation to Judah P. Benjamin, Confederate secretary of war, secured for Dr. Hunt a position in the medical department of the army in advance of others of the same age. He was in charge of the White Sulphur Springs, Va., occupied by Confederate sick and wounded in great numbers. After the war he practiced at Vicksburg, where he had been raised. He was the leading surgeon in that city, so conceded by his professional colleagues."

https://www.fold3.com/image/271/71206147
J. M. Hunt, Officer

https://www.fold3.com/image/271/20978025
J. M. Hunt, 23 Ala Inf (surgeon)

Note at bottom of card, "See also 23 Ala Inf."

Note at bottom of card, "See also Field staff"

From https://www.fold3.com/image/271/71206152

Col. F. K. Beck requests James M. Beck as surgeon for the 23 Ala Inf.

First page of letter dated 13 Sep 1864 where James M. Hunt tenders his resignation.

Second page of resignation letter dated 13 Sep 1864. He is resigning "because of inabilities to
perform the duties of my office."

In the second column is a message transcribed from https://www.fold3.com/image/271/71206329

Headquarters
Medical Examining Board
Stevenson Division
Nov 23rd 1864

James M. Hunt Surgeon 23d Ala Regt having appeared before this Board in person, we hereby certify that we have carefully examined said officer and find him laboring under Morbid Coxarius of several years standing. He was granted a sick leave for the same disease last winter, and from present indications it is our opinion that it will require months to restore him, and it is extremely doubtful whether he will ever be able to resume his duties. From our personal knowledge of his efficiency and his energy in the discharge of his duties we recommend that his request be granted.

[The last of this message is difficult to read and appears to be signature(s).]

[For explanation of Morbid Coxarius, see below.]
 

This compiler was at a complete loss for an explanation of this medical problem--even after reading a definition of it online-- so I requested that a professional explain. Dr. Mike Davis of Vicksburg offered this clear description.

"The structure involved is the femoral (thigh bone) head, the ball-shaped component of the hip joint. The disease process appears to be a chronic inflammation, probably some indolent organism involved. However, the description which was provided suggests that the primary problem may be an injury to hip joint which impairs blood supply to the bone. This is generally an aseptic (not infected) condition which leads to progressively worsening hip dysfunction, eventually an inability to bear weight. However, an episode of transient bloodstream infection (bacteremia) could result in seeding of the abnormal bone (at the interface of preserved bone and necrotic (dead) bone) and therefore an infected state of that tissue. If that were the case, the disease process would develop in two distinct phases, the latter being the more rapidly progressive and perhaps fatal stage (assuming no effective and timely surgical intervention).

"Anyway, that’s my non-orthopedist take on the description of the unfortunate patient’s condition. I wonder if the patient survived. If so, then there was probably no infection involved. Incidentally, the diagnosis would have been made on the basis of history and physical examination since X-ray exam became available only after 1895."

Thank you, Dr. Davis, for your expert help.

Also, thanks to Bryan Skipworth for help with research on Dr. James M. Hunt.

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