The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-02-18

.SeaMS]W to tables a nd
chairs have been
fashioned from it, while for a long time
past all sorts of surgical instruments
and appliances have been made of it,
says the New York Recorder. With
out glass Sir Joseph Listers princi-
pies OF antiseptics and the present sys-
tenn OF asteptic surgery would be we'll
nigh 1 impossible. Nothing can be SO
easily kept clean as glass, and as
cleanliness is the key mote OF the
marvelously successful surgery of
today the modern operating room
is veritable crystal palace. The
operating tables, the instrument cases
and often even the ceiling and
walls Of these rooms are all of purest
polished plate glass.
Glass eyes have long replaced the
lost organs of vision and can be made
SO cleverly as to almost defy detection.
Glass noses are even made, and if we
30 Tar back in history, even to the his
tory Of fairyland, we would probably
discover that the existing impetus to
the glass industry dates back to Gin
derella's slippers of tabled fame
But these are fin de steele days, and
the most recent and at the same time
most marvellous use glass has been put
TO is in the making Of artificial limbs
There is a man in New York today
prominent downtown business man
at that-who, SO far as his friends, or,
at least, all but his most intimate and
confidential friends, know, has two
arms as good and as serviceable as any
one's else, whose left arm is made of
glass.
The only thing, so far as appearances
Ire concerned, that would indicate that
anything is the matter with his arm
IS the fact that he invariably carries
his left hand in his pocket. When
questioned about it he settles all doubt
BY simply answering: Rheumatism.
I'm subject to it. If I don't keep my
hand warm it gets chilled and suffer
in consequence, so I keep it my pock-
| pt-that's ALL And the questioner
usually goes away perfectly satisfied.
But the story of this wonderful glass
arm-the only one in existence is well
worth being told. Some years ago
Mr.. By, the gentleman in question,
was out shooting. Somehow or other
the muzzle Of the weapon became clog
ged up with sand and exploded when
discharged, decorating Mr.. B Us left
arm in the most frightful manner. He
! was taken to his uptown home and the
most skillful surgeons summoned but
to no avail; the arm had to amputated
to save the mans life, for symptoms
of blood-poisoning speedily developed
| To be MANNED and an object of pity
for the rest Of ones life is anything but
/ pleasant, and so soon as he was able
to be about Mr.. By set sail for Eu-
rope, "for his health, /" it was said, but
in reality it was in search Of an arm.
A huge ulster and bandages innumer-
able concealed the fact of his loss
from his fellow-p passengers until he
had once reached his state-room and
there he remained until the end Of the
voyage.
The only persons who accompanied
him were his young daughter, beau
tiful girl then II years old, but now
one of the pets of the exclusive society
set of Murray Hill, and one man. This
man is an inventor Of national reputa-
4 ton and, so far as the public was con.
| cerned, went to Europe simply for q
holiday His name is as familiar tt
the public as that Of Edison and his
marvellous laboratories are in the hear
Of New York
He had little to do with either Mr.
or Miss By during the course O.
i the voyage, but week after the ar
i rival of the French liner at Havre tn.
trio met at Venice and the most skill
sui glassblower in that Italian city wa
taken into their confidence.
The result was that some thre
months later Mr.. B ------y returned t
New York, hale and hearty, with tw,
arms. The hand of his left arm i
never gloved unless its mate is ais
gloved, and the closest scrutiny fail
to reveal any difference between it an
the natural hand. and yet it is nothin
but glass to within five inches Of til
elbow
Some time ago twas discovered tina
. If small quantity Of oil were poure
], into molten glass it would great
, lessen its friability and make it yer
!, elastic, and Of this peculiar elasti
j glass is the arm made. It has du
j finish, giving an exact appearance {
s natural skin, and the coloring is tn
work of an artist and burned in. Th
I nails are Of separate pieces Of trans
!, parent glass, fused into place, an
/ have to be kept clean like ordinar
finger nails. The arm itself is hollo'
s and the hidden parts, above the wis
i are colorless, transparent glass. It 4
made in three pieces the one reachin
J. to the elbow, the center piece to q
3 wrist, and the third the hand.