William Beaumont (1785-1853).  Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice and the Physiology of Digestion, Plattsburgh, 1833. When U.S. Army Surgeon William Beaumont saw the gaping hole in Alex St. Martin’s side, he had every reason to believe the wound was fatal.  The 28 year old Canadian voyager was accidentally shot in the stomach byContinue reading “Notes from the John Martin Rare Book Room: Making the Best of a Bad Situation”