The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-11-12
A WONDERFUL EYHTBEryON-- MANS HEART
.. VISIBLE
From the N. y. Evening Post, Nov. 1l,h

From the N y Evening fo5t, NOV, lin
Some three years ago physicians witnessed the pro-
cess of digestion through orice left by gun shot
wound in the abdomen of Alexis St Martin. But a
greater curiosity yesterday exhibited to the students
of the University Medical College at the hour of Professor
Motifs clnique.
which enables the several movements Of the heart to be
1t has excited intense interest for several years
past throughout the cities Of Europe and Britain. The
subject of the defect is very intelligent gentleman Mr.
Groux native of Hamburg twenty EIGHT years of age
somewhat under the average height and rather pale,
though he appears to be in health
lie was introduced by DR. Mott who thought that the
substance which occupied the place of the sternum might
be cartilage. M. Groux then showed the peculiar
ormty of his chest and gave excellent lecture the
hearts action, demonstrating his remarks with colored
plates, artificial heart, and his body The collar
sbones are not connected neter are the ribs to their OPP
posites but there Is groove where the stenm should
be the skin is natural In its natural state this groove
is about inch and half wde but it be distened
to three inches.
On looking at the groove pulsate swelling is dis
cernibe opposite the third and fourth ribs respiration
be suspended it rapidly rises to extent and
remains full and tense until the breathing is restored
when it soon subsidies This is the heart. Between the
clavicles there is another pusatile swelling easily felt
which is the aora the great artery from the heart The
dilatation and contraction of the heart is also In
coughing, the right lung suddenly protrudes from the
chest through the groove and ascends considerable dis
lance above the right clavicle into the neck
The technical details of these wonderful disclosures
will interest professional gentlemen and to general
readers of physiology the sight will be extremely inter
esting 1t would be well if it could be exhibited in all
public schools.
Mr. Groux remembers being taken by his family doc
tor to medical society in Hamburg when about two
years DID, but he did not know for what did the full
importance of his to him till he over
twenty years of age. In lS49, while visit to Lon
don he attacked with cholera and then it that
his defect made known to the profession He was
shown to several distinguished medical great
curiosity, and advised to travel through Europe for
the benefit of the profession
Not long after while attending to his business which
was very combining, he attacked with hamoptsis,
spittng of bood) He then concluded to abandon his
occupation and follow the suggestion often made to him.
viz: to travel and show himself to the medical of
the countries of Europe, Britain and of America He
has album of two volumes which are nearly filed
with the autographs of the chief members of all the inn
portnt medical societies and universities of Europe from
St PeteTsburgh to Madrid, and from Vienna to Galway
estfying to their great interest in the The sigma
lures of the professors and celebrities who have examined
him number two thousand
At the close of his lecture yesterday DR. Mott proposed
collection in Mr. Grouxs behalf though his regular fee
had been paid by the faculty Scarcely had he said the
word when the silver began to fly into the from the
seats of the vast amphtheatre. Nearly all the three
hundred students present, and the shower of quar-
tiers greatly eoparded the lecturer Or Mott and his
tcndans, together with DIR. Alex. b. Mott who seemed
to be target in the innocent amusement