Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1895 — MAKE LEGS AND ARMS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MAKE LEGS AND ARMS

PEOPLE WHO SUBSTITUTE ARTIFICIAL FOR THE REAL - Ths laGastry, Owing to the Activity es Railroads, Buzz-Saws, aad Vawtha of July, Grows Yearly—lArahs Closely Counterfeit Natans. Triumph of Thia Art.

•rma.” Upon bls return to England the heartless Nellie looked upon him with Mtoilaln. “Before you had those timber toee Tour love I did allow;

But then, you know, you stand upon Another footing now.” And poor Ben was so overcome by Nellie Gray's unkindness that, bold aa he was, he lost all hope, and “round his melancholy neck a rope he did entwine.” “One end he tied around a beam And then removed his pegs; And, as his legs were off, of course He soon was off his legs.” All of these tragic occurrences might have been entirely prevented If the gallant Ben had been where he could visit one of the little workshops where wooden legs are whittled out Had he taken such a precaution Nellie Gray might not have suspected that he had left his legs “In Badajos’ breaches.” For artificial limbs are made so perfectly In these days that they do almost as well as the originals. Few persons have any Idea to, what an extent men are mended up after they have been mutilated by accidents. To see all the appliances that are used for piecing out the human anatomy a person would naturally suppose that It Is not such a serious thing after all to lose a leg or an arm, an eye or a mouthful of teeth, or to become involuntarily bald or noseless or earless. All such trifling deficiencies can be easily supplied, and the patching can be so cunningly done

that only, a narrow observer, can detect the artificial from the genuine. The business es making artificial legs, anas, fingers, ears and noses, or, according to the generic classification of the trade, “artificial limbs,” has grown

to an extent which natural limbed people little realize. Seemingly the day isn't many morrows distant when simply the vital parts of some men—and women— will be strolling up and down this earth gulsed as perfect and complete human beings, all as the result of the now swiftly soaring genius of bodypart making. And the pitied unfortunates who have been able to take advantage of the result of this soaring will bo able to tire out an Infinite numberof fellow beings who ha ve missed the cruelty of buzz-saw, thrashing machine, and railway catastrophes. There’s many a man to-da/ gracefully walking the streets whose real legs and feet, arms and hands- were long ago left in the amputating chamber of horrors. So wonderfully far is this marvelous spirit of practical counterfeiting of human parts being developed that after all the mechanic may outdistance the alchemist toward the solving of perpetual life for mankind. The making of artificial limbs has, in fact, become a fine art and a by no means Inconsiderable industry. Bvery surgical instrument maker provides them, if not actually a manufacturer, and most of them retain men for altertag and repairing. Many of them have the work done on the premises, a portisia pf it being performed by artists working at tfieir own homes and reoeivtag their orders from various employ

ers in the traAa. * One curious fact to that tMs is often Mneh «i»Blsrte-- XOrkttMnshlp 1« exhibited Wthe faking <ff ffieleg of the more irpinslriy— The craft has derived its iiwowlodge, rrf.affurse, from surgery, to that the study. oX a limb is a study in anatomy. The action of the knee and the the numerous joints in the foot are simulated by the skinful use qf fipely-tempered elastic eerds. The movements <sf the natural joints are reproduced so faithfully that a very Inappreciable halt, indeed, is all that can be observed In the gait of the wearer of a lilgh-class artificial leg. The meehturism of a foot and leg is called upon to perform limited operations, but the operations demanded of the hand are almost Infinite; and, however perfectly .the wrist and finger joints may be imitated, they remain utterly Inert unless supplied with and directed by a eootlßuoue impulse from without Opening and dosing the fingers is all that can be effected by simple pressure against another object or a general movement of the entire arm. A serviceable aabstttnte for an arm and hand must, therefore, be sought for on other than aa anatomical basis. To meet the eras mhdo very handsome and exceedingly ingenious contrivances are to be seen. One consists of a sheath, or “socket" as it is technically called, made of JEngHsh willow, canvas, and leather, and Hued with some warm fabric, into which the stump of the severed forearm to to be Inserted, and the weight of which Is distributed, by means of straps passing through a band on the upper arm and thence crosswise round the chest. A hollow screw or a catch-spring is let Into the end of this socket, by means of which any one Of a number of “tools” can at will be attached, and with which the owner can subserve the more common purposes of dally Mfe. One of the jeommonest expressions heard regarding a person with an artificial lower limb to, “He’s got a cork leg." the 'idea conveyed being that the person has an artificial limb made out of cork-at least so far as the knowl-

edge of the manufacturers now living and the records of inventions now extant asp concerned. The expression originated in thia countryby the shipment here of a stock of artificial legs made In Cork,, Ireland, early In the presult century. Were, however, the

finer grades of artificial limbs produced to-day made solely of cork, they could scarcely be lighter. As it is they are made of English willow, steel, rawand car-spring rubber, and weigh only sU to 4 pounds. They cost from Hoto<l26t according to the purse and fastMWMMto es the buyer, and are usually warranted for five years. The upper portion pf, the thigh socket is shaped and fitted to the. stump so accurately, that a bearing is. obtained upon all sides alike, thus evenly distributing the weight of the body. In order to give additional strength and prevent their splitting or being damaged by water, these legs are (covered with calfskin rawhide, so tightly and neatly drawn on as to resemble the natural limb. This rawhide Is then covered with a flesh-colored waterproof cement which forms a hard, glassy surface, so they can be wiped off with a damp cloth withoot injury. The best artificial limbs will saaHty sustain a Weight of from 400 to 600 pounds. ' . There must be just as little mechanism as posslblp to prder to lessen the chance Of a hitch' somewhere and the consequent mortification to the wearer. Every Joint is tightened to a nicety. The wire springs, two on either side of the aside joint, thatimpart a natural and ele#tlc motion, tothe ankle, no matter whether the foot be turned up or down aee covered wlth buckskin to prevent sqwakteg. lower one of these

springs serves to luring the toes back to a natural position after they have been bent upwards either in stepping on tits toe or an uneven surface. By an arrangement of the cords and springs the leg- ton be moved backwards or forwards on the ankle joiijt, while the foot remains flat upon the fldbr. This movement enables the foot to accommodate itself to anypoMttotf'ttmay be placed In when walking By covering the bot-

tom of this artificial foot with soft sponge rubber the step cannot, from its sound, be dlstlnftiis'ied from that of the natural limb. It is far more difficult to construct an arm than a leg, owing to the manifold uses required. Manufacturers generally are inclined to furnish arms that are much' too complicated, particularly for the laboring classes. The arm to constructed much after the principle of the leg, and is manufactured principally irom leather and steeL It is held firmly on the stump by an improved form of shoulder cap so constructed that in carrying an object the weight to thrown wholly on the shoulder. Strong bands pass across to and connect with a small-* er piece that encircles the opposite shoulder, passing under the arm, at which point it Is well padded. The elbow may be swung freely or set at any angle. To accomplish the latter a small button Is pressed after the limb hag been flexed, when It will remain in that position until released. Movements of the fingers are effected by a ped on the Inside of the arm. By pressing the arm against the side this pad Is forced close, to the arm, thus by a connecting of springs operating the fingers of the hand. The hand is manufactured so it will close by springs and be opened by the pad, or vice versa. For business men who wish an appliance for holding papers or documents an apparatus la constructed that is worked by the pad mechanism or a system of attachments. Such an arm can be fitted to those having three Inches or mere of stump, and provided It retain a healthy degree of force and rigidity it will enable the wearer to raise his hand to his mouth or forehead, and to take his hat off his head. These arms are made very stout, and can do service in carrying heavy valises, baskets, bundles, etc., together with holding the lines In driving. The hands are constructed with or without wrist movement, as desired, owing to the class of work that will be required of them.

The fact that a person can write with an artificial hand and arm furnishes a subject for thought that has been dwelt upon by the wisest, most thoughtful of men with only the result of utVhr bafflement The fingers of an artificial hand are capable of but two general motions or actions—namely: that of closing upon the pen and of releasing it Not at all are the artificial fingers capable of a single one of the many delicate and often almost Imperceptible movements performed by the natural fingers, hand, and wrist every time a word, however short, is written. Any trick connection, whatever, between the three or four inches of stub of arm and the—after all—clumsy imitation of the human arm, hand and fingers, is totally impossible. And yet that man writes the moment he takes up the pen In the artificial fingers. This matter has now become so common among the craft as to attract no more attention. The railroads of the country furnish 30,000 customers every year for artificial limb makers, while the other mutilating agencies—sawmills, other mills, mines, factories, the Fourth of July, etc.—bring the number up to something frightful to everybody except, possibly, those engaged In this artificial business.

Two of the supremely triumphant instances of artificial limb furnishing are In Chicago. Whenever the weather is fine and the pavements in good condition people residing on Grand boulevard may frequently see an unusually pretty, dashing young lady riding a wheel, generally at high speed, along the driveway. If now and then the buggies get too thick to suit her comfort she springs from her wheel and dashes aside to the walk with all the grace and agility of the best of them. She has worn an artificial leg from the thigh down for nearly three years. A member of the firm that furnished it is ready at any time to wager SI,OOO that no person can pick the young lady out in a party of young ladies walking or riding wheels. The other case Is that of the son of a retired banker living on the North Side. A number of years ago the young man lost both hands and both feet by having them frozen. Artificial substitutes with marvelous capacity lor action were procured for him—though in Europe. He is a fine horseman, and seldom a day pass- that he is not seen out alone behind as high spirited a pair of steppers as ever rolled a road wagon along Lake Shore drive. He is a member of two or three clubs, frequents the theaters, and attends many receptions. He lifts his hat, removes his overcoat, uses his handkerchief and lights a cigar. The making of artificial noses and ears has also become a good business within the last few years. A nose is first

molded to the proper shape in papiermache, and then it is waxed and varnished to the tint of the complexion of jtlie noseless person. Ordinarily it is fastened on by means of a pair pf spectacles, to the nose-piece of which it is firmly attached. In some cases, bow* ever, where the remaining stump is large enough, it is clamped in place and the spectacles are not necessary. An ear Is made in much the same way, but it is far more difficult to attach. Most frequently small springs fitting into the ear «oct are used, but they are likely in th‘4' end to seriously Impair the hearing. Other physical deficiencies are reme* died by wigs, false teeth and glass eyes. The last are made most exclusively in Thuringia, Germany, and the workmen are marvelously expert ,»5 --.. r . - She—l’m afraid that It is not me that you’re after, but that it is my money that you want He—How foolish in you to say that You knew very welLI can’t get your money without first getting you.—Boston Transcript

MECHANISM OF ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

IN THE LEG FACTORY.

ELASTIC BUBBER FOOT.

TOR ONE-ARMED PEOPLE.

RIDING A WHEEL WITH ARTIFICIAL LEG.