The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-10-17
CORK LEGS ARE i
Information From an Expert In the
Artificial Limb Business.

1nIOTIntIIOn HEODn IN fI1YGTC IN yn0-
Artificial Limb Business.
1.-THE term cork leg is a misnomer,"
said a man who used to be in the artifi-
cial limb business. "There' never was
any such a sthing, and a leg actually
made of cork would be as unwieldy as
a sawlog. The up to date artificial
limb is a very thin shell of weeping
willow, covered with rawhide, and
some of them that come clear up to the
hip have been built as light as three
pounds.
at is a singular fact that a first class
leg, which is supposed to have a life
Of about five years, will be more than
paid for in the saving of shoes. OF
course, the false foot wears a shoe,
just the same as the real one, but for
some reason that has never been fully
explained it isn't as hard on leather.
A flesh and blood leg will wear out
four shoes while it's mechanical mate
is wearing out one, due perhaps to the
footgear never being removed at night
and the lack of elasticity in the tread.
The best customer of the makers is the
government, which pays for a new ar
tifcial limb once every five years for
pensioners manned in war. The price
fixed by law is SIS, but scores of old
soldiers simply draw the money and
make the SANE leg do for as long as 10
years at a stretch. Artificial arms are
made very successfully nowadays, and
a certain amount Of action is secured
in the hand. even when the stump
reaches only a few inches from. the
shoulder. With one of the styles, for
example, a man can lift his hat and re-
place it on his head with a surprisingly
natural movement. The mechanism by
which the false hand is made to open
and close is controlled by a strap,
which reaches to the opposite shoulder.
A slight shrug does the work, and a lit
tie practice renders it imperceptible.
"There has been a wonderful inn
provement in limbmaking during the
last ten years, and a properly con
structed artificial leg cannot be detect
ed by the casual observer. The chief
difficulty with the old style was its
tendency to swing outward in an arc
Of a circle at every step. That has
been entirely overcome. Some years
ago, when I vas in business at Chica-
| go, l fitted out a mar who had lost
both legs and both arms in a Dakota
blizzard. When I first saw him, he was
simply a helpless trunk, lying on a cot
In the hospital, and his deplorable con-
dition had reduced him to a state Of
despair bordering on insanity. 1 took
a great deal of interest in the case,
and | fatter myself that I did a fairly
good job. When I got through with
him, he was able to get up without as
sistance, walk about. feed himself and
do a hundred and II little things that
changed life from a mere blank to
something really endurable. When he
found himself emancipated from total
helplessness, he improved mentally,
and now, I dare say, he wants to live
as long as anybody.
Zone of the greatest obstacles to sue
cessful limb fitting is the carelessness
Of surgeons in performing amputations.
An operation may be entirely success
full from a surgical standpoint, yet
leave a stump upon which a false leg
car never be worn with comfort. I
know Of q number of cases in which. a.
reamputation has been submitted to
for the express purpose of correcting
such difficulties. Every medical col
lege course ought to include at least
one lecture with practical demonstra-
tons by a thoroughly scientific maker
of artificial limbs. 1t would be of in
estimable value to the students in aft
er practice" New Orleans Times
Democrat.