The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-04

From The Hrtford Times.
A Peep into a Living Mans
Stomach.

Stomach.
The case of Alexis St. Martin is one
with which the public, and especially
those who have given particular atten-
tion to the subject of physiology in con-
nection with medical science, are already
somewhat familiar 1t is indeed n most
extraordinary one perhaps we might
say, the most extraordinary and singular
one known to the annals of surgery. st.
Martin is a Canadian, French dentist
In the year 1926. when he was eighteen
years old, and while employed in the
service Of the American Fur Company,
in Canada, he was accidentally wounded
by the discharge Of musket loaded with
duck shot as he called it. but which must
we infer, have been about the size Of
'buck shot" He Informed us that he
did not feel or know that he had been
hit, but moment afterwards he felt a
cold chill, as ii pail of cold water had
been dashed over him. The charge, en-.
tering literally from behind, passed quite
through his body, tearing off the muscles,
carrying away half of the sixth rib, lac.
eratiDg the lef, lobe OF the lungs as we'll
as the diaphragm, perforating the stom-
ach and exposing to view the pericardi-
um, or covering of the heart A por-
tion Of the lung; as large as turkeys
egg, lacerated and burnt. and just below
this portion of the stomach protruded
from tho wound, the food at the same
time passing from the oriice thus made
in the stomach. This orifco has never
healed, and through it the process of d.
gestion can plainly be seen in tho stom-
ach. DR.. Beaumont, the surgeon who
attended him, published some years ago,
volume made up from the facts connec-
ted with this case, and entitled "Dr.
Beaumont's Physiology and Expert
ments." This work embraced the obser-
vations and experiments of St. Martin,
and may be said to be the foundation of
nearly all the positive knowledge now
possessed on the subject Of digestion. In
this book DR.. b. gives the particulars Of
the treatment Of the case, and the singu-
lar recovery of the patient. Curiously
and happy enough, by tho adhesion to
the sides Of the portruded portions of
the stomach to the plenra costalis and
the edge Of the external wound, free
exit was afforded to the contents Of that
organ, and cifusion iuto the abdominal
cavity was then prevented and the mans
life saved. Probably not one man in
million, if wounded in similar manner,
would recover at all, while tho chanccs
against Just such direction and result
of another accidental or even an inten-
tional shot would be so enormous as 10
Gefy computation and almost to surpass
belief. The case Of St Martins is prob.
ably the first the last, and the only one
of the kind the world will ever sec and
the opportunities which 1t affords for the
acquisition of positive knowledge conccr-
ming tho human subject and digestive
functions are of corresponding interest
and value. Think Of the idea Of actually
witnessing the process of digestion aud
tho assimilation Of various foods in the
interior Of the stomach
This interesting subject for study was
in Hartford on Saturday and Sunday
last, and We had an opportunity of see
ing him. He is under the care Of DIR.
James G. Bunting, formerly a surgeon in
the British army, aud who proposes TO
exhibit this living wonder to tho medical
men of some of our large cities previous
to a journey with him to Europe. While
here 81. Martin and the Doctor were the
guests of Col. Colt. at whose invitation
they were induced to stop, while Oh their
way to Boston, for the purpose Of alloy.
ing to the Hartford Medical Society an
opportunity Of noting the process aud
the effects of digestion, the absorption
Of different kiuds of food, Sc.
Some of the facts thus ohtlined ere
new and interesting others seem to con-