The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-10-16
THE DISpATCH.



The following extraordinary statement ve have
from the Hartford Conn Press. How u was pos
sibie for = human being 70 sarviss wound so oes'
tructive Of his internal machinery 10 almost -
greasa wonder ~ the phenomena laid opsn .hefs'
BY 70 the inspection Of the curious. Bat ta's -
mot the only, and probably not the most
nary case OF the Kind on resord. we 'eco,'ec'
reading many years $50 similar aeeount OF sn
American soldier who received wound during
the var Of lsIa, attended With nearly the same
results:
Tae aa.e Of Alexis ST. Martin 10 probably the
most extraordinary ono known 10 tho annals 81
sursery ST. MARTIN 10 Canadian, OF french de-
scent In the ysar 1875, when he as Gig years
old and while employed 10 tho service 81 the amer
can fur Cosapany, 10 Canada. he was accidentally
wounded By tho discharge Of musket, the charge
entering literally from behind, passing quite
through his Lody, toarisg of the muscles, carry.
ius away half Of the sixth rib, decorating the LETT
lobe OF the lpugs ~ we'll ~ the diaphragm, per-
f,rsiing the stomach, aud exposing to view the
pertcardiuG, or covering OF the heart.
portion Of the lungs, Is large as . turkeys egg,
vas lAcerstcd and burnt, aud Just beio"
this portion OF the stomach protTuded from the
weuad, the iusd at the same time passing from the
orihcs thus made In the stomach. This orsdce mas
never healed, and through IL the process 81 diges
ton eau plaialy be seen ia the stomach ihis
interesting subject for study was 10 Hartford on
Saturday aud Sunday last, and We had tie oppor.
tunity Of seoisg him. While here, Sc. Martin ana
the doctor we're the guests OF Colonel Colt, at
whose Invitation they we're induced to stop, while
on their way Boston, for the purpose OF allowing
the Hartford Medical Society an opportunity Of
noting the processes and the effects of digestion,
the absor ption Of different kinds OF food, &C. In
looking into the aperture left by the shot from the
gan, TIE secret Of the q stric juice has been dis-
tiDctly seen.
The Interior of the stomach, contrary to the
Impression Of many persons is clearly aud not
uniayitisg in Its appearance. Its delicate PINK
coatiogs are - clean and perfect as all the rest
of natures handiwork, and il is not until the
psmpered aud unnatural appetite Of individuals
has, by overlooking II, and by eating and drink--
ing improper things, rendering II weak and inca
psble Of performing all the work thrust upon ",
that the stommsch or rather, Its contents become
sfyaI" Cooked (meited or drawn butter, or the
ard used la shortening pie crust, IL not disested
At ALL Il is swimming upon the surface oil
the stomach 10 the form OF Yellow OF iIght-coored
sreese and it inally passes off undigested. Chop
psd meat, moistened, introduced through this bai-
let holein the mans stomach, is found to nour-
i.h him Just AS it would if taken at the mouth!
All the patelt requires in that case Is to be al
loved to chew u piece Of gum, (uIereiy to satisfy
the habit ofehewing, we suppose9 AID he gets
along AS IL he had eaten his dinner; il rs nndoubted
~ better however that the food should hfst be mas
ticated aud this can only be done through the pro-
per agency appointed for that purpose ~ nature.
Mir,hfulnsss at and alter meal iacli aces diges
ton wonderfully.
Take st. Martin to q theatre for instance, after
q hearty evening meal, aud let ham erjgy a good
comedy-the resnls is astonishing; oisestion is
promoted to a surprising degree. Laugh and
grow fat" is an adage now seen to be founded
upon physiological truth. Anger has the effect OF
causing the bile TO rush ints the stomach in
stream This has been observed with Certainty 10
the case of st. Martin. When be has been sudden
ly outraged, while lying upon table, the bile has
been seen suddeuly 20 rush into the stomach
which perfectly clear OF it the instant before,
and such quantity to admit Of its being emp.
tied out freely into cup, simply by turning him
overt piece of meat tied to u string has been
Introduced into the stomach through this oriiice,
aud after lapse of u certain time ii has been
pulled out again. and the progress of the digestive
organs accurately noted.
In this way coroed beef, for instance, has been
reduced to a mass of fue, delicate and even
threads after having been for some time subjected
TO the action of the gastric juice. st. Martin,
since he was wounded, has married, and become
the father of II children, five of whom, with his
wife, are now living. At first the only way by
which his food after entering the e.ophagus,
could be prevented from passing out through the
wound, was TO use congresses and adhesive straps.
That necessity has since been overcome by the
growth of q small fold of the coats of the stomach,
which now extends almost over tbs orifice, but can
be readily depressed Vith'the finger. SO as TO allow
an examination of the interior Of the stomach
(when it is empty to the depth of five or six
inches.