William Beaumont: a Pioneer of Physiology Illiam Beaumont Army Medi- and Caused More Casualties Than the Cal Center in El Paso, Texas, Battle Itself

HISTORICPROFILES COL (Ret) John Pierce, MD William Beaumont: A Pioneer of Physiology illiam Beaumont Army Medi- and caused more casualties than the cal Center in El Paso, Texas, battle itself. Beaumont wrote in his Wwas the first of several mili- journal, “The surgeons wading in tary and civilian medical facilities blood, cutting off arms, legs, and tre- Beaumont and St. Martin eventu- named for U.S. Army doctor William panning heads to rescue their fellow ally parted ways. Beaumont pleaded Beaumont (1785-1853). Beaumont creatures from untimely deaths.” He with St. Martin to return for more was born into a large farming family also wrote that, “it awoke my liveli- studies, but with a wife and many in Lebanon, Connecticut, and was est sympathy” for his fellow soldiers; children to support, St. Martin educated with his siblings in a local he worked for 48 hours without food would not. Beaumont again left the schoolhouse. His medical educa- or sleep. Beaumont saw additional U.S. Army to practice medicine in tion was by apprenticeship with an action at Fort George and the Battle St. Louis, where in 1853, he slipped established physician in Vermont. of Plattsburgh. on ice and struck his head. Several At the time, there were fewer than a Beaumont left the U.S. Army after weeks later at the age of 67, he died dozen medical schools in the U.S., the war, but following a few years of of his injuries. St. Martin died in and most physicians were educated civilian practice, he returned to active 1880 at age 76, living almost 6 de- and trained as apprentices. In July duty and was assigned to the north- cades with a gastric fistula and fa- 1812, he passed the Vermont medical western frontier post on Mackinac thering 17 children. examination and became a licensed Island, Michigan, the site of lively In 1921, the U.S. Army hospital at physician. summer fur trading between Cana- Ft. Bliss, Texas, was named for Wil- In an age when no information dian trappers and American trad- liam Beaumont. The building was re- traveled faster than the 4 legs of a ers. In June 1822, a young Canadian placed in 1972 with a 12-story facility horse, it is not known how much voyageur, Alexis St. Martin, was ac- known as William Beaumont Army William Beaumont was aware of the cidentally shot in the upper left ab- Medical Center. In November 1995, events that led to the American dec- domen at close range with what we additional space was added for the laration of war against Great Britain know today as a shotgun. Beaumont VA health care center. In 1955, the in June 1812. It is equally unknown described the wound as the size of William Beaumont Hospital opened whether a sense of patriotism, youth- a man’s palm with burned lung and in Royal Oak, Michigan. This civilian ful adventurism, or simply the need stomach spilling out as well as re- hospital has grown to a health care for a job drove Beaumont to join the cently eaten food. He thought at- system with many facilities that in- U.S. Army in September 1812. Re- tempts to save St. Martin’s life were clude a school of medicine founded gardless of the reasons, he soon was “entirely useless.” in 2011, all named for Beaumont. under fire as a Brevet Surgeon’s Mate But Beaumont gave it his best, and For more detailed information on with the 6th Regiment at the Battle of St. Martin miraculously survived. The William Beaumont, read Frank TW. York in Canada. wound healed but left a gastric fis- Builders of Trust, William Beaumont. The retreating British booby- tula to the abdominal wall. Over time, The Borden Institute: Fort Detrick, trapped their powder magazine, Beaumont realized that he was able to Maryland; 2011. which exploded on the Americans witness the previously mysterious func- tions of the gastrointestinal tract. For About this column COL Pierce is a retired U.S. Army pediatri- more than 10 years, Beaumont studied This column provides biographical cian who served as chief of pediatrics, director the physiology of St. Martin’s fistulous sketches of the namesakes of military of medial education, and chief of the medical staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. COL stomach, leading to the publication of and VA health care facilities. To learn Pierce also was a consultant in pediatrics to the several articles and a book that earned more about the individual your facil- U.S. Army Surgeon General for 7 years. He co- Beaumont the reputation of at the very ity was named for or to offer a topic authored a book on Dr. Walter Reed and his research on yellow fever and edited a book on the least the father of gastric physiology if suggestion, contact us at fedprac@ Walter Reed Army Medical Center. not of American physiology. frontlinemedcom.com or on Facebook.