The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1895-05-16
CrutChes.

| Nearly all the crutches made ID tuls
country for use here and for export to for
eign countries, principally to the west ~
dice, to Mexico, Central America H'd
South America, are made in four or nv
factories in New England and two or three
factories in other parts OF the county
Perhaps three-fourths or more oil them are
made IN New England, great number De
ing prod by single factory 10 Ne"
Hampshire. few crutehes ere made 10
order outside OF the factories, but they are
very few. Almost without exception ana
including those made to order, crutches
are made 10 the factories. Most OF the lac
tories are located where they are so rs to
be as near as possible to forests OF sulIal
BILE timber, and because OF the greater
chespness of labor. Practically no crut
ches are imported.
Rock maple is the wood most used 10
the manufacture Of crutchee, TLsy He
made also Of lancewood, rosewood, hickory
and other woods and CT bsmboo, The
great ma jority Of crutches are now made
OF the modern style, the spread or double
bar crutch 80 familiar TO the eye, but the
old style crutch has by no Tesps cone en-
tirely out OF use.
Clutches may be bought at almost any
price. pair of modern do1bIe bar crn'
ches with rubber tips can be bought for
81, perhaps for less, From that they rnn
upward accordingly to material and hnlsh
Crptches are made with solid silver trlml
mings and not iuireqnenily with gold 'rlm
nings and with ivotv handles and "l'
ivory arm piecee. Pfobs bly, $40 to go 4"
pair would cover the cost OF most oi the
finer crutches. s me however, cost SoO,
$50 and more.
Crutch arm pieces are iiDI he'd 10 var
ious ways, Many are covered with leather
many are fuished in polished wood. One
Of the newest styles Is polished wood
top finished in the sh Ipe Of u cows horn
and so called. There ,ue patents on cfut
ches, principally on one end or the other,
the top or the tip. Rubber tips have beeh
used for many years, b at there have been
various improvements IN them. Formerly
q piece Of rubber was SIMPLY tackled on 10
the end OF the crutch. An improvement
on this was q fetrule on the end OF th"
crutch aud projecting beyond the eud OF
il. forming socket into which the trb
Der could be inserted There is clan
tip which can be opeued aud closed, 20
that the worn rubber eau be taken out
and renewed. Most Of the rubber tips
have openings into 'Gbich Ic' spikes c'n
bs inserted 10 ICY woaih~r reeelt d.
vice combines Ice splke.Tubbet and ietuIe
ip such q msuuer H. Al he Ice spike can be
used or not, as desl red
Dealers say that the dsmand for erutch
"a 10 creAsrs more rapidly pfOpohionsteiy
than the increase Of population. The Is
accounted for by the Increasing sceideht'
attending the eIteudsi modern nse Of mH'
cLiuery 10 one form or suotb'r aud 10
some measure it IL aAtl br ted Incidentally
10 improved methods of surgIcui practice
and the better mtDpa Ia winch irscturrd
liubs are nov suppo ted. 40 that patients
are not oriy permitted to = out ou etnicb
"a, but are urged " gu ss sc ~ ~ they c'h
safely do 60.
While there are many regular users Of
cruteues, suIl there are tho assnds who
7se cfr,@tes onlv tempo rSity, perhaps 20
gruff. .,,t D. .s0} go 49,. .r OrD 'A'
sLo L+,.t .,g oraauou 60 -sn .l.m
sg.tr. No4- prIteF ~ bc.' crate. -