THREE FAMOUS ENGRAVINGS depict Alexis St. Martin in his youth. I've seen them many times, in biographies of his surgeon William Beaumont, in Beaumont's own book, in journal articles about the pair. As detailed as the artworks are, you can't tell what St. Martin looked like from examining them. All three woodcuts are of the lower portion of his left breast, and the famous hole. I could pick St. Martin's nipple out of a lineup before I could his eyes. I suppose this makes sense; Beaumont was a researcher and St. Martin his subject-more a body than a man.
In Mary Roach's book "Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal," she discusses three well-known engravings of Alexis St. Martin that highlight his physical condition rather than his features. These artworks, often featured in biographies of his surgeon, William Beaumont, specifically focus on the lower part of St. Martin's left breast and the notable hole resulting from a gunshot wound. The engravings are detailed yet do not capture St. Martin's overall appearance, emphasizing his role as a subject of medical study rather than an individual.
This observation reflects a deeper commentary on the nature of medical research during Beaumont's time. St. Martin, who underwent extensive observation and experimentation on his digestive system, is portrayed more as a specimen for study than as a person with a unique identity. This perspective highlights the impact of medical research on personal identity and the way subjects can be perceived as mere bodies rather than whole individuals.
