Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-04-23
From the Hartford 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 attention to the subject
of physiology in connection with medical
science, are already somewhat familiar. 1t is
indeed a most extraordinary one--perhaps we
might say the most extraordinary one known
to the annals of surgery St. Martin is a
Canadian of French descent. In the year
1925, when he was eighteen years old, and
while employed in the service Of the Amori-
can Fur Company, in Canada. he was acc-
dcntly wounded by the discharge Of a muskot
loaded with duel, shot, as he calls it, but
which must. we infer. have been about the
size Of a buck shot. He informed as that he
did not feel or know that he had been hit but
a moment afterwards he felt a cold chill, as if
pail of cold water had been dashed over
him. The charge, entering laterally from
behind, passed quite through his body, tear
ing of the muscles. carrying away half of the
sixth rib, laccrating the left lobe of the lungs
as well as the diaphragm, periorating the
stomach and exposing 20 view the percardum,
or covering of the heart; A portion Of the
lung. as large as a turkeys egg, laceratcd and
burnt, and Just below this portion Of the
stomach. protruded from the wound. the food
at the same time passing from the oriice thus
made in the stomach This orifco has never
healed. and through IL the process OF diges-
ton can be plainly seen I'm the stomach. Or.
Beaumont. the surgeon who attended him.
published. some Years ago. volume made up
from facts connected With this case. and on-
titled "Dr. Beaumonts Physiology and Ex-
periments." This work embraced the obser-
vations and experiments of ST. Martin. and
NAV be said TO be the foundation of nearly
all the positive KNOWLEDGE now possc.sed ON
the subject of digcstiou. Tn this book DR..
b. gives the particulars of the treatment of
the case. and the singular recovery of the pa-
tient Curiouslv and banuilv enough. bv the
adhesion to the sides Of iho protrudcd por-
tiops of Tine stomach to tbe nlenra costalis
and tbe ed,e of the external wound. free
exit was afforded TO tho contents of that or
gan. and eF9s;ou into the abdominal cavity
was thus prevented and the man's life saved
Probably not ono man In million. If
wounded I'm similar manner. would recover
at all. while the chances arlipst lust such a
direction and result of another accidental or
even intentional shot would be so enormous
as 20 dciv comnutation. and almost 10 surnass
belief The case of St. Martin is probably
tho first. the last. and the only ono of the
kind the world will ever see and the onD1r-
tunities which IL affords for the acquisition of
positive KNOWLEDGE concerning the human
stomach and digestive functions arc Of cores
ponding interest and value. Think of the
idea Of actually Witnessing the process of di-
gostion and the assimilation of various foods
in the interior Of the stomach
This interesting subject for study was re-
Gently in Hartford. and we had the opportnni-
tv of seeing him. He was under the care of
DR.. John G Bunting. formcalv surgeon in
the British army. and who proposes to exhibit
this living wonder to the medical men Of
some of our large cities previous to a Journey
with him to Enrope While here. St. Martin
and the Doctor were the guests Of Col. Colt.
at whose invitation thew were induced to stop.
while on their way to Boston. for the purpose
of allowing the Hartford Medical Society an
opportunity of noting the processes and the
effects of digestion. the absorption of differ
ent kinds # food. &c
Some of the facts thus obtained are now
and interesting; others seem to confirm pre-
vious theories of the physicnns.
1t was found that brandy. taken upon an
empty stomach. half an hour before dinner.
has the effect TO temporarily paralyze the pro-
ooss or Ii.reeti,r Gov "a ,rriol of r,,ir borrs