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An Indentured Window into the Stomach
On June 6, 1822, the 19-year-old Quebecois fur trapper, Alexis St. Martin, was the victim of an accidental gunshot wound to his belly which created a hole in his stomach. He was treated by Dr. William Beaumont in Fort Mackinac, Michigan, and recovered, however, Alexis' body healed in a way that created an opening from his stomach to his skin, an observable hole into his own stomach. Dr. Beaumont convinced the illiterate Alexis to sign a contract making him a house servant, but also gave Beaumont the express right to experiment with and observe Alexis’ stomach.
From 1825 to 1833, Dr. Beaumont conducted well over 200 experiments and observations upon Alexis, including sticking and removing foods to and from Alexis’ stomach directly, taking samples of his stomach acids, and even licking the inside of Alexis’ stomach to see what the acids and mucus lining tasted like.
Dr. Beaumont published his findings in a book that afforded himself great credit and renown; whether or not Alexis was at least compensated properly is not known. The findings produced were a vast step forward in understanding the digestive tract and processes, however, they were conducted in a coercive environment and within an unequal relationship. Many have described the two as a “medical couple”, but this would seem to imply that they were equals, for which they weren’t.
Alexis St. Martin went on to marry, have kids and live until the age of 78 and passed away peacefully. However, for fear of body snatchers and physicians that wanted to conduct an autopsy without consent, his family waited until his body sufficiently decomposed under guard before burying Alexis. Even upon St. Martin’s death, and after outliving Dr. Beaumont for 28 years, St. Martin wasn’t free from the curious eyes of physicians.
Sources:
Catherine Price. “Probing the Mysteries of Human Digestion.” Science History Institute, 13 Aug. 2018, https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/probing-the-mysteries-of-human-digestion/.
Jesse Myer. Life And Letters Of Dr. William Beaumont: Including Hitherto Unpublished Data Concerning The Case of Alexis St. Martin. Kessinger Publishing, 2010.
Kat Eschner. This Man’s Gunshot Wound Gave Scientists a Window Into Digestion. 6 June 2017, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grisly-story-human-guinea-pig-alexis-st-martin-180963520/.
Stephen Logsdon. “William Beaumont’s Momentous and Unethical Experiments.” Archives and Rare Books, 26 Aug. 2021, https://becker.wustl.edu/news/william-beaumonts-momentous-and-unethical-experiments/.
Walker HK, et al. Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd ed., Butterworth Publishers, 1990, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459/.