The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-07-28
WAR CAUSES GREAT DEARTH
OF ARTIFICIAL MEMBERS
French Makers are Swamped With
Untitled Orders as $4,000 Sol
diers Wait for Aid.

One effect of the ravages Of war
las been call from Europe for
American artificial limbs. George E.
Marks, one of the leading American
manufacturers of artificial limbs, re-
Gently returned from trip to Eng
and and France, having been invited
there to confer with leading sur
geons, and his report agrees with
those of the United States Depart
ment of Commerce, under the date of
April 2 and June u, which indicate
there is now a tremendous opening
in the European markets for legs and
arms made here.
England, France and Russia have
not enough makers of artificial limbs
in their dominions to supply ten per
cent. of the number required. France
seems to appreciate this condition
more keenly than the other countries
involved in the war, and it was from
France that the call came to Mr..
Marks to go over and see what ar
could be made to meet
the situation.
"In Paris and its suburbs said
Mr.. Marks, "there were a month ago
fifteen thousand soldiers who had lost
enc or more limbs, and many of these
we're waiting for. prothetic treatment.
Mind You, thai does not include the
number in the remainder of France.
'sIt is by no means an eXaggeration
to say that with the war not yet a
wear old, the number of soldiers with
amputated limbs in all the belliger-
ent countries already is not short OF
fifty thousand. Compared with the
figures of the civil Var, this is ap-
palling.
"Tha. conflict, which lasted four
years, and was regarded as unusually
sanguinary, left eleven thousand am
putated survivors on the federal side,
and if we assume that the same num-
Der of Confederates were left MAIN
ed, approximately twenty-five thou
sand persons were in line for artf-
cial limbs at the close.
"I visited a number Of the hos
pitals in England and France, and
conferred with many of the surgeons
was taken by the distinguished sur
geon, DR.. Tuffler, # the Maison.
Blanche Hospital, some twelve miles
out Of Paris, and there I saw, in one
inclosure, one thousand soldiers on
whom amputation had been perform
ed. Some had lost leg, some both
legs, some an arm, some both arms;
and T saw one poor fellow both OF
whose legs and arms were shot of
"The Maison-B Blanche is hospital
of considerable size, and is used ex-
clusively for soldiers who are con-
valescing after an amputation. 1t
has one thousand beds, and I was
told that it had been filed fifteen
times since the war began. This is
only one of many hospitals in France
where patients who have experienced
amputation are cared for.
t.The artificial limb manufacturers
of France are few and their product
is archaic. The maximum output OF
all the artificial limb makers in
France is not more than one hundred
limbs a month, so l was told, and il
takes a French manufacturer from
three to five months to fill an order
His limited equipment being no"
overtaxed, and most of his regular
employees now being in the army
there is now no prospect Of an in
crease in his output.
"It is generally admitted-in fact
there is no question about it-that
the American-made artificial limbs
are the best in the world. The de-
mand in this country has been on the
increase in the last century, and the
American who loses leg refuses to
60 on crutches for long time. The
demand has therefore been an incen'
tive to great progress, and has result
ed in marked Improvement in artlh'
cial limb construction.
French surgeons realize that the
French MANNED can be better equip
ped and be more fully restored to
their ability to resume their former
functions by American artificial
limbs than by any other kind. French
soldiers who are thus supplied will
be able to return quickly to their
homes, whole those who choose to re-
main il. the service can perform cleri.
cal work, taking the places of able
bodied men who will thus be released
for the front.
1.-The French are asking that
American artificial limb factories be
established over there so that the de-
mand may be met on the spot, but
do not believe that it would be prac-
ticable for an American manufacturer
of any proportions to establish a fac
tory in France that would be COM
mensurate with the demand. II
would require too mu n time and eX-
pense.
In my opinion better plan is for
each hospital in France to appoint as
many surgeons, nurses or wardens as
possible to measure the soldiers for
artificial limbs and send the measure
mentS to the United States, and when
the limbs are sent over to have the
same measurers adjust them. Meth
er measuring nor fitting is difficult,
as full instructions are issued. We
ourselves will undertake to guaran-
tee both construction and perfect fit.
"The method I suggested to the
French surgeons is the one adopted
by the Panama Canal Commission in
supplying artificial limbs to en-
ployees who were MANNED during the
construction of the canal, and was
found to be entirely satisfactory. If
this method is adopted by the Euro
pean countries, the manned soldiers
will be equipped in the quickest pos
sible time.
There is no doubt that any of the
war aid societies in the United States
would appoint a committee to pass
upon the artificial limbs, compare
them with the orders and approve
them before they are shipped, and I
am sure such committee would do
this work gratuitously."
MkCKENSEN STRANGELY QUIET
Field Marshal Ctays Silent-Reports