The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-12-17
ARTIFICIAL LIMBS.
Nearly 100, 900 Persons Get Them Every
Year in This Country.

Slavery has long been abolished In this
country, but anybody can 60 into one Of
several establishments on Broadway and
purchase leg or an arm or an ear or
foot, says the New York Journal.
Never was the demand for artificial
limbs so great as at present, with the ex-
ception OF q year or two after the close Of
the Civil War. In few branches OF indus
try has so great progress been made as
in the manufacture OF artificial limbs.
There are well-known men In New
York who have for years worn an artificial
arm or leg, without their closest acquaint-
ances being aware OF the fact.
Some years ago a wooden leg was just
what its name represented-a plain stick
Of wood. without hinges or pliability, and
which always gave an air OF Stiffness &c
lts wearer. At present every nerve and
tension in the human leg Is faithfully re-
produced In the artificial.
A reporter happened TO be In the Office
II a manufacturer OF limbs when the clerk
began to talk of the recent improvements.
You would think IL queer" he said, ito
see a man walking around freely on two
wooden legsP'
The reporter acknowledged that Il
would look peculiar. The clerk got down
Off his high chair and walked toward the
reporter. There was a scarcely percept-
BILE halt in his movements, which would
not have been noticed by one man out OF
zen.
He pulled up his trousers nearly foot
nd the reporter was astonlshed to see
nat both the clerks legs we're OF wood
de said that he generally walked with a
cane, but even that support was not alb
a. "a tn IN
and Off street car unaided, and never
uses a cane except wnen upon the street.
1t is not alone In legs and arms that
progress has been made.> BY an ingen-
ious apparatus a shortening OF the leg by
five or or six inches is remedied.
Men who wear artificial arms are now
enabled to lift their hats to the ladies', to
make change on q street car, and In a few
cases to play on piano.
In YonS there is an old violinist
whose services are In demand at the
country parties and receptions. whose
right arm Is made OF wood. In spite OF
this he Is able to do good service on the
violin, and he makes living at the busi-
ness.
The hampton artificial leg skater OF the
world has worn a wooden limb for five
ears. He Is George W. Doell, OF Port
ervis. MIR. Doel says that ne can dance
~ we'll as he skates. His best record on
oilers Is mile In minutes 80 seconds.
ie also skated five miles in twenty-five
minutes.
The first manufacturer OF artificial limbs
in this city was William Selpho. who came
from England In 1889. Since then Ameri-
can inventors have busied themselves in
improvements. and tne records OF the
Patent Office show that no less than $50
patents on artificial limbs have been
granted in this country.
The largest demand comes from old
soldiers and sailors, who lost their limbs
In the Civil War. These soldiers and
sailors are supplied with new limbs every
I've years by the government.
To these must be added those who have
been mutilated by disease or accident.
The railroads are responsible for tho
great majority OF such mutilations.
Brakemen or conductors are constantly
losing legs or arms.
1t is estimated that 10000 people have
TO be supplied with new limbs every Ave
years in the United States.