Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-01-03

inc hui ~ iliS LA4AHSS tltd- pass du1 .
it morning, noon, and night, IS a col
lection of Welrd-looking statuary
which, for our credit with posterity, .
is to be hoped some ieonocIast may
smite to pieces with his hammer be
fore the archealogist OF the future
shall stumble upon il. Shoc it sur
viye the passage OF an aeon ar two, II
might be discovered by some daap dig
ger and exhibited as the haRdiworA d
some re4list ia sculpture, showing the
Suriously Informed torsos OF ancient
New Workers OF the twentieth century
Each limbless, headless, more or less
distorted plaster body is, though IN
truth. an exactly accurate representa-.
ton of the flesh and blood figure OF a
nvIng man, or woman, or child, for
the casts belong 70 the New York Posi-,
Graduate hospital. and are the models
from which aluminium corsets are
made 70 support weak or misshapen
human frames and gradually counJeract
their defects.
The making of these corsets is one
of the functions OF the hospitaIs
orthopedic workshop-the only WORK
shop Of its kind in the city The
patient who is to be fitted stands with
head raised by means of CHA brace,
and with arms lifted above his head
and supported there in such a position
that the vertabrae OF the crooked
spine are as widely separated and as
nearly in correct position as possible
Then a plaster bandage is wound
round and round his body, from the
armpits to below the hips, closely ad-
herring TO every slight yiriation in the
surface Of the flesh
When the bandage has partially
dried, SO as to form a sort OF shell, il
is slit down the front and removed.
Then the opening made by the cutting
apart. is closed, and the shell is set
aside TO dry thoroughly. The ortho
pedis, now has a perfect mold OF m,
patients body as it is in the mos,
nearly normal position it is possible
tor it to assume. OF this he makes 2
platter cast, and taking two flat sheets
Of aluminium hammers them upon tbs
easr until they exactly it it, forming
the two halves of a corset. Hinges
fasten them together at the back, eye.
lets for lacing are put on either side
Of the front opening, and the whole
affair is perforated with round holes
until it looks like a cross between q
colander and piece OF ancient armor.
AS one might imagine, the aluminium
corset is expensive, ranging in price
from $50 to 800, according to the
amount of work which has 10 be put Ia
TO it. But it lasts a lifetime, and is
much lighter and more sanitary and
comfortable than plaster jacket,
which can be had for about one tenth
Of the price, but lasts barely three
months. Plaster corsets are made IN
much the same way as the molds for
the models on which the metal con
traptiOns are shaped. A piece OF
stockinet is fastened about the body
under the arms, so that it hangs 10
the knees, and over this The plaster
baadage IS wrapped When the shell
has hardened. the lower fringe of the
scotldnet is turned up and stretched
over the corset, to which IL is sewed
at the top. Then the whole thing IS
slit down tNe front, and strips OF eye
lets are attached to either side Of the
opening.
Not only do these close fitting shells
oblige the patient to carry himself as.
correctly as it is physically possible
for him to do, but they help him keep
the proper position without undue ey
ertion. As consequence the body
gradually becomes more normal; vita
the progress of improvement new Coz
sets are made from time to time to 1t
the slowly disappearing maliformauou
more closely ana by degrees smooth
it entirely away.
Corset making is only one Of the ac.
tivities Of the orthopedic workshop.
however Dozens Of fatfoot plates, as
well, are made every week-curved
plates Of aluminium cunningiy fitted TO
support a broken instep arch a mold
is taken by having the patient press
his foot into soft plaster of paris, ana
the impression he leaves is flied, In
turn, with soft plaster which, when 1t
hardens, is a perfect replica of the
sole and sides of the injured member
Then a small aluminium plate white
hot from the forge fire, is hammered
10 fit every popularity OF the model.
The foot plate is simple con
trivance compared with the Jury
nast'-a rigging by which the head
may be temporarily supported. II
looks 10 the uninitiated like a great
shepherds crook, curvlng up from the
back Of an aluminium corset. While on
the tip is a cross piece from which
straps support chin rest. Measure
ments for this contrivanee must be
made with special care, for if the nd.
justment is not correct to hairs
breadth, incalculable harm may he
done.
One of te commonest difficulties the
orthopedist has to deal with is hip
disease When a physician sends in
an order for brace to cure a trouble
Of this kind, It appears in the form OF
large sheet OF paper on which the
outline Of the patients deformed limb
has been scientifically traced, with
descriptive remarks scrubbed at ran.