Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 154, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1916 — NO LEGS, BUT THEY WALK [ARTICLE]

NO LEGS, BUT THEY WALK

British Cripples Deceive Onlookers by Brisk Movements —Wonders of Modern Science. London. —When a wounded soldier or sailor is sent to hospital nowadays the amount of patching up made possible by modern science is so wonderful that by the very nature of its success it escapes full appreciation. Thus, if you see a fine-looking young man walking . round briskly with no more support than a walking stick you are not likely to realize that a short time ago. he had no legs at all. An impressive number of marvels of this kind is to he found at the Queen Mary hospital at Roehampton, where the fitting of artificial limbs is being accomplished on a scale that has never been known before.

Less than five months ago Sergeant Kent of the Fifth Wilts lost his legs in his country’s service at the Dardanelles. Yesterday, consciously proud of his facility, he took an afternoon stroll round the grounds of the hospital, with only two walking sticks to help him. For six days he has been relearning how to walk —a joyous experience for, a man who had contemplated a life with crutches. In one of the limb shops yesterday disabled heroes were finding their feet with the aid of parallel bars. In order that the legs may suit them as nearly perfectly as possible, it is usual for the men to take their first steps in the practicing room before the limbs are finished. A one-armed man strode along a corridor swinging the one arm—his left —as he walked. His hand was those of the visitor they were found to be unnaturally hard. The lower part of the one arm was artificial, and the opening and shutting of the hand and the deceiving swing of the limb were operated by shoulder movements. Private Chaplin of the Welsh Fusileers is the owner of this wonderful hand, with which, among other accomplishments, he can write remarkably well. "It was a bit of a job at first,” he admitted. "You see, it’s a left arm.”