The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-01-28

man with Two arms, and this was done
after much work, and the battered
trunk, dressed in the latest fashion,
began to look quite like a human being
once more. The man was still minus
both his ears and his nose and one
eye, while his hair had oil fallen out.
The artificial limb maker said he could
fix the ears and nose all right, and he
went to work and made a pair Of ears
for his man, fitted them on aud then
took up the task OF a nose. This was
the most difficult Of all, but finally a
very neat cclluoid proboscis was made
which was held in place with specta-
clcs. The man next got a wig and a
glass eye and went u q new man in
the real sense Of the word.
Wonders are certainly performed in
the way Of making artificial limbs.
Time was when the peg leg was the only
thing known and the man who lost one
of his lower limbs had to go stump
ing through life with a wooden peg.
Now he takes 600 and goes and gets
him a new leg and one that is about
as serviceable as a flesh and blood one,
not subject to corns, rheumatism and
tho other ailments to which flesh is
heir.
1t is only about a century ago tbs:
the first artificial was made and it
was considered one of the wonders of
the world. 1t was called the Anglcsea
leg, from the fact that it was made
for the marquis Of that name. This
first limb was wonderfully and fear
fully made, as heavy as lead and as
clumsy as an iron leg. Since that
time great improvements are made,
until today o man with an artificial
leg can walk, run, jump, hop, skip
and do nearly everything that the man
with flesh and blood legs is able to ac-
complish.
There arc no cork legs. Some aver
there never were.
II have heard said an artificial
limb maker, as he laid down q couple
of fingers he was working upon, that
4 man from Cork once had n wooden
leg and for that reason it was called Il
cork leg. | don't know how else tho
legs got that name, for cork is not
used and never was used to any great
extent in the manufacture of limbs"
The foundation Of all limbs is wood,
and that q peculiar English willow,
light and durable. The stumps of
arms or legs are fitted into the wood
and then the limbs are carved out.
After the wood has taken on the TO-
quired shape rawhide is put on to
strengthen the wood and then over
this is put a ooat Of enamel.
joints are made at the knees, the
ankles and at the toes in the artificial
limbs and at the elbows, wrists and
fingers in the arms. With pulleys and
other oontsivances the hands and
fingers open and shut and the feet
bend at the ankles and the toe joints.
A well made leg weighs from three
and a half to five pounds; an arm from
one to one and half. The first artif-
cial legs wolghed about fifteen pounds
and the arms from five to six.
Modern manufacturers attempt to
eliminate complications thus making
it easy for the owner Of o limb to
manage it and also to keep it clean
and in repair. Simplicity and natural
ness is the motto Of the best workmen
and they model their works Of art on
tho natural limbs, preserving the CON
tour Of the real flesh and blood in the
insensible limitations.
An artificial limb lasts about eight
years if it is properly cared for and
looked after. The joints must be
oiled, the different parts cleaned aud
everything kept in good order. Some
people do not care to keep o limb that
long, as new and improved ones arc
being made all the time and they want
to keep up with the times. Some
people havo several extra limbs stored
away in their closets as they would
have extra suits Of wearing apparel.
Men, women and children flock to
these establishments 20 escape the
effects Of accidents whereby they have
lost one or more limbs. Soldiers are
frequent patrons and railroad men are
also very often looking for limbs to
replace those u of by the cars.
After a big railroad wreck the arti6-
oial limb maker usually has q busy
season. In n Of the largest essab-
lishments Of this kind in Chicago