THROUGH ST. MARTIN’s WINDOW.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 993, 13 March 1891, Page 28

THROUGH ST. MARTIN’s WINDOW.

Alexis St. Martin was a Canadian trapper. Many years ago while out hunting, he received a gunshot wound in his abdomen. This finally healed in such a strange way as to leave an opening into the stomach, with a skin over it almost as clear as a pane of glass. Nothing so remarkable had ever happened before. Through this window, by aid of a strong light thrown into it, the doctors could see what went on inside his stomach. So the poor trapper’s bad luck proved to be good luck to the rest of mankind.

Now let us see how we can avail ourselves of the knowledge thus obtained. There is a postman by the name of Frederick Green, who lives at 33. Martin’s Road, Shortiands, Kent. Speaking of an occassion about two years ago be lately said : 1 1 couldn’t eat meat without experiencing great pain.’ What ailed Mr Green ?

When the doctors looked into St. Martin’s stomach just after he had eaten a meal, they observed that a liquid of a light yellow colour, was thrown in great quantities from the lining of the etomach in among the food. Then they noticed that the whole mass began to turn round and round as milk does in a revolving churn. When this process was over, in an hour or two there was nothing to be seen except a grey fluid which looked like broth or soup. The doctors also took note of the fact that when St. Martin ate much meat the stomach required a longer time, and seemed to labour harder to turn it into the broth-like fluid. Then again there were times when the light yellow liquid hardly came forth at all, the stomach moved or churned slowly, and the food lay in St Martin’s body until it became rancid, putrid, and sour. At such times he complained cf feeling ill and sick and suffering much pain. If not soon relieved the skin turned a copperish hue, a nauseating acid arose into his mouth his head ached and grew hot, he had sharp pains in different parts of his body, the kidney secretion was thick and high coloured, he Blept badly, couldn’t work, was low spirited, restless and uneasy What he suffered from, was indigestion, which, long enough continued, becomes chronic dyspepsia and nervous prostration.

Now let us see how it fared with our friend Mr Green, the postman. He goes on to say : ‘ When I drew my breath it was like a knife running through my chast. My appetite was bad, and I fell away to nothing. As I have to walk twenty miles a day in the discharge of my duties, I found the work in my weak state was killing me by inches. Before I was taken ill I was a strong, healthy man, and did my work with ease, and pleasure. Finally I had to go on the sick list, and was attended by a physician for a fortnight, but I felt none the better. There was a load on my chest, and when I ate anything the food lay on my stomach like a ton of lead.

‘ One day my wife said to me : “ Frederick, my mother used to suffer the way you do, and she always found relief by taking Mother Seigel’s Curative Syrup. Why don’t you try it?’ After some persuasion I gave up doctoring and got a bottle of “ Seigel’s” and begun. The fiist few doses made me feel better. I stuck to Mother Seigel's Curative Syrup, and in a few weeks I got strong and went back to my work, I have never ailed anything since, and for my recovery I have to thank God and Mother Seigel’s Curative Syrup.’ Mr Green has been postman in the Shortlands district for fifteen years, and bears an excellent character. If there had beeh a window in his stomach, his physician and friends might have observed the same trouble that occasionally appeared in the case of St. Martin.