Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-04-06
AN ARTIFICIAL MAN.
WHAT IT WOULD COST TO RE.
BUILD THE HUMAN FRAME.

] Detail Of the Various Parts which May Be
Renovated when Impaired or Lost-$l.000
Will Afford ToIsrabIy Fair Substitute for
Nearly the Parts Of the Wonderful Machine,
New York Press.
| "What is the cost of an artificial
man? That is, man who is as
nearly artificial as he can be and
live"
| "Well," answered the maker of ar
tificial limbs, "that would depend
upon how much he could pay for re-
construction. Assuming that you
were the man and that you had come
to me from the hands OF the surgeon
all ready to be trimmed up, 1 would
begin by putting you on your feet-or,
rather, putting your feet On. you. If
you were satisfied to go stunping
about the world on pin legs 1 could
fit you pair for any price from SIS
to $50. But if you wanted really
artistic pair of legs, with knee joint,
ankle joint, rubber buffers and a
springy and elastic foot, they would
cost you from $3.50 to $500. But you
could stand and walk with these so as
to deceive drill master, and you
could wear the two easily. Dancing
and riding would not be too difficult
for you after little practice. If you
had lost only foot could replace it
for from $25 to $50, made to measure.
"Then you would want pair OF
useful arms, with hands and various
necessary implements. l am suppos-
ing that you had lost your arms above
the elbow and wanted them replaced
with working members. Both of
them would cost you from 1925 to
1925. They would have flexible hands
and wrists and elbow joints. With
these hands you could hold pen or
pick up small objects and shake hands
with person without his knowing
what he was grasping. But you
could not do any hard work with
them. You would therefore need sew
eral instruments which you could
screw into the arm after having re-
moved the hand. There would be q
fork, which would cost So; knife at
the same price; a spoon, same price; a
hook at $3.50, and wise at $3.50. If
you wanted to play cards you could
have o card-holder at 81, or a cue.
holder for billiard playing for $1.5O,
and rein-holder for driving at $1.5O.
1 could furnish you with hammer,
saw, clothes brush and many other
useful things-call it $50 for the lot.
This would make good-sized total
for the arms complete, but when you
consider that a single finger OF the
first grade would cost you SIS. the
whole psraphernalia for from $3.50 to
$3.50 is not 50 dear.
"Of course your head would need u
lot OF repairing. Your hair would be
torn Off, and / would have to fit you
with q wig. This l could do well for
about $50; but if you wanted a really
first.class article, that would not be
detected as wig. I would be obliged
to charge you from 500 to $3.50 for it.
"Then there are your teeth. You
would not have one left, according to
the specifications, and your palate
would be smashed. / could replace
the palate for from S. to SIS. The
teeth could do for $40, but you
would take no comfort with them.
They would never be really easy in
your mouth and you would lose flesh
worrying about breaking them. Bet
ter give me $40 for them, and then
you would not only feel comfortable,
but you would have no fear OF their
falling out or breaking.
"Then there's your nose. OF
course, that is shaved off. The nose,
as 1 need not remind you, is an i'm
portant feature and requires great care
to be made to fit the rest of the face.
1t is possible for me to make nose
for you for $40, but it would pay you
better to give me 500 and have a
nasal organ that would do you proud
and last as long as you lived-a really
artistic production.
"Both eyes have been gouged out
have ready-made eyes for almost any
figure you might wish to name. But
if you have the money to spare and
want o particular shade or color
would be obliged to charge you from
$40 to $25 for the pair. They would
be the best the market affords, how
ever, and an exact reproduction of tn.
eyes you lost, and made of the bes
material.
"Then you would want pair o
ears. would build these up of alum
inum, and wax, paint them like flesf
and fasten them with mastic for fe'
of from $40 to 500, according to you
order.
"Your ear drums have been de
| stroyed. would have to replac
them. This would cost you from S
, to SIS. They are perishable ant
. would have to be renewed frequently.
"That is about all l could do 70
you, unless you wanted silver tub
lput in your windpipe. This woul'