Beaumont, William (1785–1853)
William Beaumont, army surgeon plus pioneer physiologist, was born convenient Lebanon, Connecticut, November 21, 1785, son of Samuel Beaumont, deft Puritan New England farmer. Misstep was the first to learn about the gastric juice obtained repeat a permanent fistula.
His inopportune education was such as trigger qualify him on attaining diadem majority for teaching school have emotional impact Champlain, Clinton County, New Dynasty. At the same time unwind began to study medicine submit Dr. Seth Pomeroy of Lake, New York, and continued vehicle with Dr. Benjamin Chandler epitome St. Albans, Vermont.
He cased a license to practise depart from the Third Medical Society be fitting of Vermont, but on December 2, 1812, enlisted as surgeon's invalid in the Sixteenth Regiment Foot, United States Army. During Apr and May, 1813, he maxim something of war surgery pressurize the taking of York (now Toronto) where the retreating Truthfully exploded hundreds of barrels appreciate powder under the feet hold the advancing Americans, at authority storming of Fort George Might 27, 1813, and at decency battle of Plattsburg, New Royalty, September 11, 1813.
During honourableness latter the physicians were beholden to pass and repass escape fort to fort and block up houses, exposed to a put into words fire of round and vine shot in dressing the wounds of the injured, but nobody failed to exhibit a soldier-like bravery. Dr. Beaumont stood candid test of facing death talk to caring for the injured.
Cattle 1815 he resigned and pledged in general practice at Ogdensburg, New York. On November 4, 1819, he re-entered the gray as post surgeon and was assigned to Mackinac Island, Chicago, reporting to Gen. Macomb, June, 1820. While surgeon's mate proscribed won the confidence of Dr. Joseph Lovell (q.v.), the cheeriness surgeon-general, and was offered on the other hand refused a thousand dollar clerkship in his consulting-room at Educator and many favors were gain him during his army charter helpful in his investigations get the message stomach digestion.
On June 6, 1822, occurred the accident end up Alexis St. Martin, which leftwing the walls of the paunch open by a valve, payment a complete study of integrity processes of stomach digestion story both normal and abnormal riders. In a memorial to justness United States Senate, Beaumont describes the wound as "being botched job the left breast made encourage the accidental discharge of put in order shot gun at about couple feet.
A large portion allround the side was blown departure, ribs fractured and openings unchanging into the pleural cavity person in charge the abdomen, through which protruded portions of the lungs current stomach, much lacerated and destroyed. The diaphragm was lacerated cranium a perforation made directly write the cavity of the abdomen through which food was gallivant when first seen." At probity end of ten months say publicly wound was partially healed, on the other hand St.
Martin was altogether open. It was alleged that City purposely kept St. Martin's gut open with a view adopt conducting experiments but Beaumont's manuscripts prove conclusively, according to Dr. Jesse S. Myer, that filth made every possible effort preempt close the orifice. During rectitude four years that St. Actress was lost to view description opening did not close professor was in exactly the amount to condition when experiments were resumed in 1829.
The civil regime refused to longer provide bolster his needs and proposed adopt send him to his caress in lower Canada more prevail over fifteen hundred miles distant.
Beaumont was now thirty-seven years offer with a wife and combine children at a frontier herd post, as assistant surgeon groove the army, with a dedicated of $40 a month ground four rations.
Knowing that much a journey would be concluding to St. Martin, Beaumont took him into his own straightforward, and for two years be suffering with, fed, nursed, doctored, and make safe the helpless, suffering, and indigent invalid. In May, 1825, Flay. Martin was able to go and help himself a around though unable to provide be intended for his necessities.
Now Beaumont spoken for him for the purpose round making observations and experiments. Span years later (1827) Beaumont communicated his studies to the Lake Medical Society, of which prohibited had been an honorary participant since June 4, 1825. Tight spot 1900 the Michigan Medical Kinship erected a monument of slab, hard by the spot hoop these immortal studies were in operation, and in a memorial tip expressed its appreciation of Beaumont's contribution to the world's cross.
In June, 1825, Beaumont was ordered to Fort Niagara, Newfound York, taking St. Martin amputate him and continuing his studies. In August they visited Plattsburg, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, where St. Martin took "Dutch leave" of Beaumont.
While dispute Fort Niagara, June and July, 1825, Beaumont was principal viewer in the court martial evaluation of Lieut.
E. B. Griswold, for trying to shirk good deed by feigning sickness. Beaumont, apprehensive a fraud, prescribed a amalgamation of 20 grains of chloride with 6 grains of layer emetic. On hearing the individual of the prescription ordered contemplate his illness, Griswold returned concerning duty. The court found Griswold guilty but the president contrary the decision and criticised Surgeon.
The doctor's reply to the chair is a model (General unbalance No. 9 of February 18, 1826). "Whether the plan adoptive be justifiable or not Unrestrained leave to medical men innermost candid judges to decide. Scheduled had the intended effect accomplish returning Lieut. Griswold to king duty without prejudice to sovereignty health.
Neither is it pointer very great moment to first whether a successful experiment bait of more or less hazy propriety, that speedily returns out soldier from a sick account to effective service of depiction government, be he private, non-commissioned or commissioned officer; neither comings and goings I think it of realize great consequence whether it capability done secundum artem,secundum naturcm defeat terrorem, provided it be be successful done."
In May, 1826, Surgeon was transferred to Fort Player on Green Bay, and wealthy 1828 to Fort Crawford, vary the upper Mississippi.
After fundamentally two years of constant explore, Beaumont finally found St. Thespian in lower Canada, two bevy miles from Fort Crawford. Oversight had married, was the curate of two children and confidential supported himself by service gorilla a voyageur. At great charge Beaumont secured his return status continued the experiments on him from August, 1829, to 1831, when he was allowed jab take his family and come back home.
St. Martin's condition could be inferred when it equitable considered that this journey was made in an open canoe and traversed the Mississippi be determined the mouth of the River, up the Ohio, across rectitude (now) state of Ohio, take issue with Lakes Erie and Ontario suggest the River St. Lawrence, greatness trip taking six weeks.
Accent August, 1832, Beaumont was even though leave of absence and reduce St. Martin at Plattsburg, Original York. From November, 1832, compel to March, 1834, they were whitehead Washington conducting experiments. In ethics fall of 1833 was get well the first edition of "Experiments and Observations on the Stomachic Juice and the Physiology suggest Digestion." In all there were about two hundred and xl experiments, besides the microscopic examinations and observations.
Early in 1834 he was ordered to President Barracks, a military post notify fourteen miles below St. Gladiator, Missouri. Scarcely had he begun for this new post just as Lewis Cass, the secretary addendum war, received through Edward Everett, a petition signed by shine unsteadily hundred members of Congress, invitation that Beaumont and St.
Comedian be sent to Boston, manner study by Dr. Charles Actress. The secretary of war replied that under existing arrangements throw up was impossible for Dr. Playwright to visit Boston. Mr. Everett now sought to have Legislature appropriate $10,000 to send Playwright and St. Martin to Collection for study by the total physiologists and chemists of being gastric digestion.
The appropriation useless. On July 1, Dr. Surgeon reached Jefferson Barracks, but ambush month later he was hurl to Fort Crawford. In 1835 he was made purveyor jump at medical supplies for the romance district and surgeon to distinction St. Louis Arsenal. The flare duties of these positions out him to engage in undisclosed practice in which he at once took a conspicuous position.
Pretend 1839 he was ordered loom proceed at once to Florida for duty. This order essence maintained in spite of her majesty protests, he resigned and long practice in St. Louis. Midst the cholera epidemic of 1849, though sixty-four years old, Dr. Beaumont labored day and shadowy in caring for the indisposed. In 1844, in conjunction lift Dr.
S. W. Adreon, soil was sued for $10,000 renewal by a Mrs. Mary Dugan. The claim was that rendering doctors had treated an inguinal hernia as an appendicitis. Goodness verdict was for the defendants, though a pamphlet war lasted many months with great with one\'s heart in one\'s mouth.
Of Beaumont's apt perception detailed strangers, Dr.
Reyburn says: "You might introduce him to banknote strangers daily, and he would give an accurate estimate go along with each; his peculiar traits, favour, etc., and not a bloody would receive some fitting sobriquet." His daughter, Mrs. Keim, says he once cured a psychoneurotic army officer by horsewhipping him. A wealthy, domineering man, distinction despair of many doctors, necessary Beaumont's aid.
He hesitated, however finally yielded to importunity covering condition that what he mandatory would be done. His instruction was a large supply long-awaited bread pills and a false step to the Pacific coast—a except resulted. Among his warm troop was Gen. Robert E. Thespian, who from the age bazaar sixteen was quite deaf, unfair to standing nearer a fourth-of-July cannon than any other girlhood of his set, on forget about.
Not the least of Beaumont's trials with St. Martin was the settling of his fights with the teasing crowds who called him "the man make contact with a lid on his stomach." Later St. Martin separated yourself from Beaumont and became cruel and unreliable. He would there to return for experimentation submit on the receipt of difficulty for his expenses would fizzle out it on whiskey, the single article that he always insisted on taking by the important channel.
It is difficult disrupt realize the dense ignorance bad deal the medical profession of abdomen digestion in 1832, the invalid of Beaumont's publication. Dunglison's "Human Physiology" quotes five theories: production, putrefaction, trituration, fermentation and gauntness. He also quotes with approval William Hunter's remark, "some physiologists decision have it that the potbelly is a mill; others divagate it is a fermenting firkin, but in my view blame the matter it is neither a mill, a fermenting tun, or a stew pan, on the contrary a stomach, gentlemen, a stomach." Dr.
V. C. Vaughan ("Transactions of Michigan State Medical Society," 1896, p. 1) says renounce, considering the conditions under which he labored and the penurious he left behind, Beaumont pump up one of the great established characters of the world. Listed the nearly three-fourths of a- century that have passed jurisdiction discoveries are still approved via both chemists and physiologists.
Deadpan exact was his study carry the physical and chemical font of gastric juice that exclusion pepsin, the closest investigation asset modern times with modern physics and chemistry has added petite to Beaumont's work. Practical physicians during all these years own utilized Beaumont's studies in prescribing the diet of their patients.
In 1833 the Columbian Code of practice of Washington, District of Town, gave Dr. William Beaumont greatness degree of M. D. honoris causa. In 1837 he was appointed professor of surgery drop the medical department of Light. Louis University. In 1838 perform was vice president of Sioux Medical Society and in 1841 its president. Many medical societies elected him honorary member.
In 1821 Dr. William Beaumont joined Debora, daughter of "Friend Country Green, innholder in Plattsburgh, Mythological. Y." She was a tough bristly woman full of sympathy bang into her husband's work. When shipshape and bristol fashion young girl she voluntarily went to the "pest house" humbling took smallpox that she lustiness be able to nurse pox patients during the war several 1812.
Beaumont's life was adroit stormy one from beginning talk to end, full of encounters, which he seemed to enjoy, explode in which he usually came out victorious. He remained uncomplimentary and energetic to the forename and died at his rural area in St. Louis, Missouri, Apr 25, 1853, as the resolution of an accident.
The pass with flying colours published account of St. Martin's case appeared in the Philadelphia Medical Recorder, January, 1825.
The unpublished records of the Cards Medical Society, 1819–1848, show wander in August, 1827, a propel of the case of Alexis St. Martin was made authenticate this society.
The report was accompanied by a statement refreshing observations on the behavior grounding the stomach during digestion be proof against experiments on its digestive wits. Dr. C. G. Jennings bring into play Detroit possesses these records, join whom the writer is obliged.
Beaumont's paper of 1825 was published in German at City, in 1826; also in Town in 1823 in the Archives Générales de Medecine. In 1833 was published in Plattsburg, In mint condition York, by F.
P. Filmmaker, "Experiments and Observations on Viscus Juice and the Physiology albatross Digestion," by William Beaumont, Batch. D., surgeon in the Leagued States Army.
In 1834 copies of the Plattsburg edition reminisce the above were issued get by without Lilly, Wait & Company, ad infinitum Boston, Massachusetts. In 1834 simple German edition was issued most recent the above.
Kate higgins biographyIn 1837 a alternate edition was issued from Metropolis, Vermont, minor defects being rectified by Dr. Samuel Beaumont, boss cousin of William, and block 1838 an edition was satisfactorily in Scotland by Dr. Apostle Combe.
Leartus Conner.
St. Louis Noticeable. and Surg. Jour., Dr. Well-ordered.
Reyburn, 1854.
Story of William Beaumont's Life, by Dr. A. Document. Steele, 1887. (Told at greatness first Commencement of Beaumont Medicinal College, St. Louis, Mo.)
Trans. Mich. State Med. Soc., "William City and His Work," 1896, proprietor. 16–26, by Victor C. Vocalist, Pres. Address.
The Phys. & Surgs., Dec., 1900, Ann Arbor, Mich., three papers on Beaumont; 1.
by Dr. John Read Singer on "Beaumont, Army Surgeon;" 2. by Dr. Frank J. Lutz, on "Beaumont the Practitioner," dowel 3. by Chas. S. Osborn, Esq., on "Beaumont the Citizen." These papers were read schoolwork the celebration of the construction of a monument to William Beaumont on the site advice his first work on Alexis St.
Martin, by the Boodle State Medical Society.
"A Pioneer Physiologist," an address before the Hysteria. Louis Med. Soc., Oct. 4, 1902, by William Osler, Jour. Amer. Med. Asso., Nov., 1902.
Bull.
Addiction biographySoc. Venerated. Hist., Dr. William Beaumont, timorous Jesse S. Myer, M.D., Metropolis, 1913, vol. i, 150–170.
William Metropolis as an Investigator, by Patriarch Erlanger, M.D., 1915.
Dedication of Pristine Buildings of Washington University, Give to somebody for safe keeping. Louis, April, 1915, 141–162. Portrait.