The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24
CORK LEGS IRE MYTHS.
Information from an Expert who Has
Been In the Artificial Limb Business.
From The Nee Orleans Times Denrocr

From The Nelp Orleans Times Democrat
The term cork leg is misnomer" said
man who used TO be in tho artificial limb bust
ness There never any such q thing, and
leg actually made OF cork would be unwieldy
as a sawlog The up odate artificial limb is
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
IT is sngula fact that frst-class leg, which
Is supposed to have a life of about Ave years. will
be more than paid for in the saving Of shoes. OF
course. the false foot wears shoe. Just the same
the real one, but for some reason that has
been fully explained. il isn't hard on leather.
a nesh.and blood leg will on, four shoes
while its mechanical mate is wearing out one duo
perhaps 10 the foot-gear 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 artificial limb once every
five years for pensioners manned in war The
price fixed by law is s75 but of old soldiers
simply draw the money and make the same leg
do for as long fifteen years at stretch. Arti-
fetal arms are made very successfully nowadays,
and n certain amount of action is secured IN tho
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 replace it
on his head with surprisingly natural move
mcnt. The mechanism by which the false hand
Is made TO open and close is controlled by a strap
which reaches TO the opposite shoulder. \ slight
shruE docs the work, and little practice renders
ii impcrceptbe.
There has been a wonderful improvement in
limb making during the last ten years. and prop
ery constructed artificial leg cannot be detected
by the casual observer The chief difficulty with
the old style its tendency TO swing outward
in an arc OF circle at every step That has been
entirely overcome. Some years ago. when l was
in the business al Chicago. fitted out man who
had lost both legs and both arms in Dakota bllz-
| card When frs, saw him he was simply help
,, less trunk lying cot In the hospital and his
| dcplorable condition had reduced him to a state
OF despair bordering on insanity. | took great
deal of interest In the case, and flatter myself
! that did fairly good job When got through
! with him he able TO get UP without assistance.
walk about, feed himself. and do a hundred and
| one little things that changed life from mere
, blank TO something really endurablc When he
| found himself emancipated from total helpless.
| ness he improved mentally and now dare say he
wants to live As long anybody.
One OF the great obstacles to successful limb
fitting Is the carclessncss Of surgeons in performing
! amputations. An operation may be entirely sue
| ccssful fIom surgical standpoint yet leave a
stump upon which a false leg never he worn
| with comfort | know Of a number Of cases in
| which a rranputation has been submitted TO for
the express purpose of correcting such difficulties
| Every medical college course ought to include at
| least one lecture with practical demonstrations
by thoroughly scientific maker Of artificial limbs
II would be Of inestmable value to the students in
| after DTacticP