Man with window

[asomihite]

OK, this sounds crazy, but I swear I heard this story a few years ago, and I just can’t remember where. It was about a man who took part in some experiment that involved replacing the area above the waist that we commonly refer to as the “belly” with something similar to a window. The part of the story that really stands out (making me think I really heard this and I’m not crazy) is that when he died his family wanted the body destroyed to ensure that he was able to “rest in peace.” Does anyone know anything about this, some web links would be great. Thanks.

[cynic]

OK, I think this is the story you’re referring to:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/1752-6513.html

Beaumont was a military surgeon who launched his career during the War of 1812. In 1822, he was serving not too far from here, at Fort Mackinac, when a Canadian voyageur–Alexis St. Martin–was accidentally shot in the stomach at close range.

St. Martin didn’t heal up properly, and the bullet left behind a fistula – and wound with a view, if you will.

…

St. Martin died on June 24, 1880 in St. Thomas de Joliette, Quebec, Canada at the ripe old age of 86. His family deliberately let his body decompose in the hot sun for four days and then buried it in a deep, unmarked grave – with heavy rocks atop the coffin. They hoped to prevent anyone from examining his stomach or performing an autopsy.