THROUGH ST. MARTIN’S WINDOW.

Western Star, Issue 1549, 1 April 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

THROUGH ST. MARTIN’S WINDOW.

Alexis St. Martin was a Canadian trapper. Many jours ago, while out hunting, lie 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 thin skin over it almost as clear as a pane of glass. Nothing so remarkable hid ever happened before. Through this window, by the aid of strong light thrown into it, the doctors could see what went on inside his stomach. So the noor trapper’s bad luck proved to be good luck for 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 Eoad, Slmrllands, Kent. Speaking of an occasion about two years ago, he lately s id : “ I could'nt eat meat without experiencing groat 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 stomach in among th<> 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, thee was nothing to be seen except a grey fluid which looked like broth or soup The doctors also took note of the fact I hat \v. en St. Martin ate much meat the stomach required a longer lime and seemed to labor harder to turn it into the broth-like fluid. Tbenagian 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. Marlin’s body until it became rancid, putrid and sour. At such times he complained of feeling ill and sick and suite-mg much pain. If not soon relieved his skin turned a copperish hue, a nauseating acid arose into nis month, his head act ed and grew lift, ho had sharp pains in different parts of his body, tbo kidney secretion was thick and high coloured, he slept badly, couldn’t work, and 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 ray breath it was like a knife running through my chest. My appetite was bad, and I fell away to nothing.—As I have to walk twenty miles a daj in the discharge of my duties, 1 found the work in my weak slate was killing me by inches. Before I was taken ill I was a strong, healthy man, and did my woik with case 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 belter. There was a loud on my chest, and when I do am tiling the foo l lay on my stomach like a ton of lead. “ One day my wife s id to me : ‘ Frederick my mother used to suffer the way you do, and she always found relief by taking Mother | SeigeTs Curative Syrup. Why don’t you try it,?’ After some persuasion 1 gave up dee- ; loring and sot a bottle of ‘ Seigei’s ’ and bo- ! gun. The first few doses made mo feel better. I 1 stuck to Mother Seigel’s Curative Syrup, j an in a few weeks I got strong and wont back to my work. I have never ailed anything since, and for my recovery I have to hank God and Mother Scigol’s Curative tyrup.” I Mr Gre n has been postman in the Shortlands district for fifteen years, and bears an excellent, character. If there had been a window in bis stomach, bis physician and friends might have observed t’>c same trouble that, occasionally appeared in the case of St. Martin.