MEDICINE IN AMERICA 419 



work. The names of Pascalis, Wistar and Coxe; of John 

 Eberle, T. R. Beck and Frankhn Boche ; of John K. ]\Iitchell, 

 John D. Godman and Robley Dunghson; of Alonzo Clark, 

 Henry Bowditch and Austm Fhnt will ever occupy a niche in 

 the hall of fame concerning things medical in America. 



Without too much detail it is well worth our while to 

 glance over the positive advance in the science and art of med- 

 icine which is due directly to American initiative. Prior to 

 1822 the process of stomach digestion was but little understood. 

 During that year Alexis St. Martin, a Canadian boatman, 

 eighteen years of age, was injured by the accidental discharge 

 of a shotgun, the muzzle of which was not more than two or 

 three feet from him. Dr. Beaumont, surgeon to the United 

 States post at Ft. Mackinaw, where the accident happened, 

 thus describes the wound: 'The wound was received just 

 under the left breast and was supposed, at the time, to l^e mor- 

 tal. A large portion of the side was blown off, the ribs frac- 

 tured, and openings made into the cavities of the chest and the 

 abdomen, through which protruded portions of the lungs and 

 stomach, much lacerated and burnt. The diaphragm was 

 lacerated and a perforation made directly into the cavity of the 

 stomach, through which food was escaping. When the wound 

 healed, there remained in his side a permanent opening 2-2- cm. 

 in diameter, which communicated with the cavity of the 

 stomach." 



Dr. Beaumont, and later others, carried on a series of ex- 

 periments and observations extending through years, and the 

 present knowledge of the stomach digestion is largely based 

 upon this remarkable case. Dr. Johns Neill, of Philadelphia, 

 contributed an original study of the structure of the mucous 

 meml^rane of the stomach. Cannon published valuable data 

 on the movement of the stomach and intestines. Dr. Leidy's 

 paper on the comparative structure of the liver was the most 

 complete work on the microscopic anatomy up to 1848. Later 

 Dr. Austin Flint, Jr., first demonstrated cholesterin in the bile, 

 and Dr. John Dalton, of New York, was the first man to demon- 

 strate the presence of sugar in the living liver. In 1847 Dr. Jos. 

 Leidy, of Philadelphia, proved the presence of trichina spiralis 

 in pork, and its communicability to man. Dr. John Dalton 



