Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-21
The Human Stomach.

Oace, and once only, in the lifetime of man,
an intelligent humaa eye HIS been able to look
into the human stomach, and watch the pro-
cess of digestion. IL 1922, at the United
States Military post Of Michllimackinac,
Alexis ST. Martini Canadian OF French ex-
traction, received accidentally heavy charge
CT buck shot in his side, while he was standing
one yard from the muzzle Of the gun. The
wound was trightful. One of the lungs pro-
traded, and from an enormous aperture ll the
stomach the food recently eaten was oozlng.-
DR.. VIM. Beaumont, y. S. A, the surgeon of
the post, was notified, and dressed the wound
To exactly one year from that day the young
man was we'll enough to get out Of DOORS and
walk about the tort and he continued to i'm
prove in health and strength, until he was as
strong and hardy as the most of his race. He
married, became the father of large family,
and performed for many years the laborious
duties appertainiog to an officer servant at a
frontier post But the aperture into the som
sch never closed, and the patient would not
submit to the painful operation by which such
wounds are some times closed artl6cially. He
wore compress arranged by the doctor, with
out which his dinner was not safe alter he had
eaten it.
BY most blessed chance, it happened that
this Dr.. W. Beaumont, stationed there on the
outskirts Of creation, was an intelligent, lnquis-
tive human being, who perceived all the value
OF the opportunity afforded him by this unique
event. He set about improving that opportu-
n;ty. He took the young man into his service,
and at intervals, for eight years, he expert
mened upon him. He alone among the sons
of men has seen liquid flowing into the stomach
of living person, while yet the vessel was at
the drinkers lips. Through the apcreture
(which remained . inche: - circumference
he could watch the entire G,-eratlon of dlges-
ton, and he did so hundreds Of times. If the
mans stomach ached he could look into it and
see what was the matter; and, having found
out, he would drop rectifying pill into the
aperture. He ascartained the time it takes
to digest each Of the articles OF food commonly
eaten. and the effects OF all the usual errors in
eating and drinking. La 1883 he published
thin volume, at Plattsourg, on Lake Cham
plain, in which the results OF Thousands OF ex-
periments and observ were only too briefly
stated He appears not to have heard OF tee
totalism, and hence all that he says upon the c-
tccts OF alcoholic liquors IS free from the sus
ricion which tha arrogance and extravaganza
Of spme teetotaiers have throwa over much
that has been published Oh this subject. With
> mind unbiased, Dr. Beaumont, peering into
thestomach Of this stout Canadian notices thata
glass Of brandy causes the coats OF that organ to
assume the same inhamed appearance as " hen he
had been very angry, CT much frightened, or had
over eaten, or had the flow Ctpersl,iratlon sud
denly checked, In other words, braody played
the part Of foe in his system, and not that OF
friend; it produced effects which were NOR
bid, not healthy. Nor did it make any mate
rial difference whether St Martin drank brandy,
whskey, wine, cider, or beer, except so far as
one was stronger than I'll"
Simple water say; mont, is
perhaps the obly fluid tor by the
wants OF the economy. lclal drinks
are probably all nore or less injurious; some
more 50 than otaers, but none can claim e1cmp-
ton from the general charge. Even tea and
coffee the common beverages OF all classes OF
people, have tendency 10 dcbiltate the dlges-
tive organs. :: The whole class of alcoho-
lie LIQUORS may bo considered as narcotics, pro-
ducing very little difference in their ultimate
effects upon toe human system.
He aScertained, too, mot guessed, or IN
ierred, but ascertainea, watch in hand that
such things as mustard, horse radlsh, and pep
per rctard digestion At the close OF lis ya!ua-
bic work, DR.. Beaumont appcnds long list OF
"Inierences, among which are the following:
THAT solid food OF certain texture is easier
OF digestion than fluid; that stimulating coudl
meuts are Injurious to the healthy system that
the use ofardent spirits always produces disease
of the stomach if persisted in; that water, ar
dent spirits, and most other fluids, are not
affected by the gastric juice, but pass from the
stnn,och soon o!tar thov have been received.