The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-15
CORK LEGS ARE MYTHS.
Information From nm Expert In tho
Artificial Limb business.

Information From an Expert In tho
Artificial Limb business.
'"The term cork leg Is misnomer,"
said a man who used to be in the artin-
cial limb business. There never was
any such thing. and n leg actually
made of cork would be as unwieldy rs
sawlog. The. up to date artificial
limb Is very thin shell of weeping
willow, covered with rawhidc, and
some Of them that come clear up to tho
hip have been built as light as three
pounds.
ut is singular fact that first class
leg, which Is supposed to have a life
Of about five years, will be more than
paid for IL tho saving of shoes. OF
course, the false foot wears 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 its mechanical mate
is wearing out one, due perhaps to the
footgear never being removed ut night
and the lack OF elasticity In the tread.
The best customer Of the makers is the
government, which pays for q new ar
tihciai limb once every five years for
pensioners manned in war. The price
fixed by law is $50, but scores Of old
soldiers simply draw the money and
make the same leg do Cor as long as 10
years ut stretch. Artificial arms are
made very successfully nowadays, and
certain amount Of action is secured
In the hand. even when the stump
reaches only few inches from the
shoulder. With one of the styles, for
example. man can lift his hat and re-
place 1t on his head with surprisingly
natural movement. The mechanism by
which the false hand is made to open
and close Is controlled by n strap,
which reaches to the opposite shoulder.
A slight shrug does the work, and lit
tie practice renders it imperceptible.
There has been q wonderful i'm
provement in limbmaking during the
last ten years. and 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 m arc
Of circle at every step. That has
been entirely overcome. Some years
ngo. Wien was in business ut Chica-
go, fitted out man who had lost
both legs and both arms In n Dakota
blizzard. When first saw him, he was
simply helpless trunk, lying on q cot
In the hospital. and his deplorable con-
ditior had reduced him to a state of
despair bordering on insanity. 1 took
q great deal Of interest in the case,
and fatter myself that did fairly
good job When I got through with
him, he was able to get up without as
sistance, walk about, feed himself and
do hundred and one little things that
changed life from q mere blank to
something really endurable. When he
found himself emoncipnted from total
helplessness. he improved mentally,
and now. 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 surgical standpoint, vet
leave a stump upon which q false leg
can never be worn with comfort.
know Of number of cases in which q
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-
tions by thoroughly scientific maker
OF artificial limbs. 1t would be Of in.
estimable value to the students in aft
CT practice" - New Otieans Times
Democrat.