295. The following table exhibits the general results of experiments made on Alexis St. Martin, by Dr. Beaumont, when he endeavored to ascertain the time required for the digestion of different articles of food.[10] The stomach of St. Martin was ruptured by the bursting of a gun. When he recovered from the effects of the accident under the surgical care of Dr. Beaumont, the stomach became adherent to the side, with an external aperture. Nature had formed a kind of valve, which closed the aperture from the interior, and thus prevented the contents of the stomach from escaping; but on pushing it aside, the process of digestion could be seen. Through this opening, the appearance of the coats of the stomach and food, at different stages of digestion, were examined. [10] The time required for the digestion of the different articles of food might vary in other persons; and would probably vary in the same individual at different periods, as the employment, health, season, &c., exert a modifying influence. TABLE, SHOWING THE MEAN TIME OF DIGESTION OF THE DIFFERENT ARTICLES OF DIET. -----------------------------+--------------+-------- Articles. | Preparation. | Time | | h. m. -----------------------------+--------------+-------- Apples, sour, hard, | Raw, | 2 50 Apples, sour, mellow, | Raw, | 2 Apples, sweet, do., | Raw, | 1 30 Bass, striped, fresh, | Broiled, | 3 Beans, pod, | Boiled, | 2 30 Beef, fresh, lean, rare, | Roasted, | 3 Beef, fresh, lean, dry, | Roasted, | 3 30 Beef steak, | Broiled, | 3 Beef, with salt only, | Boiled, | 3 36 Beef, with mustard, | Boiled, | 3 10 Beef, fresh, lean, | Fried, | 4 Beef, old, hard, salted, | Boiled, | 4 15 Beets, | Boiled, | 3 45 Bread, wheat, fresh, | Baked, | 3 30 Bread, corn, | Baked, | 3 15 Butter, | Melted, | 3 30 Cabbage head, | Raw, | 2 30 Cabbage, with vinegar, | Raw, | 2 Cabbage, | Boiled, | 4 30 Cake, sponge, | Baked, | 2 30 Carrot, orange, | Boiled, | 3 15 Catfish, | Fried, | 3 30 Cheese, old, strong, | Raw, | 3 30 Chicken, full-grown, | Fricas'd, | 2 45 Codfish, cured, dry, | Boiled, | 2 Corn, green, & beans, | Boiled, | 3 45 Corn bread, | Baked, | 3 15 Corn cake, | Baked, | 3 Custard, | Baked, | 2 45 Dumpling, apple, | Boiled, | 3 Ducks, domesticated, | Roasted, | 4 Ducks, wild, | Roasted, | 4 30