124 ANIMAL FUNCTIONS 



the subject of digestion are those of Dr. Beaumont, of the 

 United States army. The subject of these experiments 

 was a man named St. Martin, who, in consequence of a 

 gun-shot wound which perforated his stomach, and which, 

 on healing, left an aperture in the cavity of that organ, 

 presented opportunities before unknow r n, for the prosecution 

 of such inquiries. The aperture was situated betw r een the 

 left breast and the pit of the stomach, and of such size as 

 to enable the experimenter to introduce various substances, 

 and to examine the food, taken in the usual manner, at 

 any time during the process of digestion. This was done 

 without pain to the subject, who remained, with the ex- 

 ception of his wound, a sound and healthy man, perform- 

 ing all the duties of a common laborer, with the usual 

 strength and facility. 



368. Nature had formed a sort of valve which closed 

 the aperture from the interior, and which prevented the 

 contents of the stomach from escaping, but on pushing 

 this aside, and placing the body of the subject in a certain 

 position, either the food or gastric juice was obtained in 

 any desirable quantity for experiment. A pint of the latter 

 was sent to Europe for analysis and experiment. 



369. The results of Dr. Beaumont's inquiries in many 

 instances do not materially differ from those which had 

 been ma.de by other philosophers, but in other instances 

 they vary considerably from any which have heretofore 

 be,en made public. Our limits must confine us to the 

 statement of only a few of the most important results, 

 among the great number which the volume contains. 



370. The experiments were made both by means of St. 

 Martin's digestive organ, and by the gastric juice extract- 

 ed and placed in vials, which were kept at the tempera- 

 ture of 100 degrees. 



371. Boiled rice was digested in the stomach in 1 hour, 

 while sago, tapioca, barley, and boiled milk, require 2 

 hours and 15 minutes. Tripe and pigs' feet 1 hour. 

 Turkey, roasted and boiled, goose, pig, beef's liver broil- 

 ed, lamb, and chicken, w r ere digested in from 2 hours 18 

 min. to 2 hours 45 min., so that with respect to these sub- 

 stances, it appears that there is very little choice as to 

 time. Eggs, hard boiled, 3 hours 30 min., do. soft boiled, 



