Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-21
CORK LEG" INDUSTRY

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The lumber for Them is carefully
selected and the FIRST step in the mai
ing OF a false Lex is 10 cut from The
raw material block cish, inche.
square and Of the requisite lensth
ThrOush IL a hole Is bored lenCJbwIst
with 4 large anger. and then the bloch
is put aside in dry place and al
lowed TO season. 1t ought 10 season
for three years,
It Is then carved in imitation Of d
real leg, sandpapeged 10 smoothncsS
followed OUT so as 10 convert II into
a mere she'll, and rendered waterproof.
by coating of special kind OF
yarnish Il may be covered with kid
but methods OF manufacture vary.
The leg is made hollow for the sake
Of lichtness. and also 10 provide room
Tor the introduction OF strong spiral
spring and other elements OF the me.
chanism that is 10 render the limb
a useful and comfortable counterfeit
Of real one. An artificial leg of up
10 date pattern is an ingenluS piece OF
apparatus and there is many man
today who wears one without betray.
ing the fact 70 the casual observer.
OF course il the natural limb has
been cut off high up the artificial one
must be in two parts, connected by
a knee joint. II one must lose Il
portion OF ones ambulatory ma.
chinery the most desirable place for
the amputation is between the knee
and the ankle. Under such Circum-
stances a false member may enable
one TO walk without limping, or one
may even tango satisfactorily but loss
of part Of the foot or OF the whole
foot at the ankle Joint means that one
must so hating through life.
The foot OF the artific' / leg is In
itself an exceedingly cltfer counter
felt. Its core is part Of the same
piece OF wood that makes the body
OF the leg. Enveloping this core is
rubber, rulcanised on in a series OF
thin layers, the result being TO give
the foot lively springiness, render
ing il comfortable for walking and
helping 10 give the wearer a natural
gait.
An artificial arm is of similar con,
struction, with wooden core for
the hand, which is OF vulcanized rub
Der. But as substitute for the
natural limb it is a poor thing COM
pared to a false leg The hand is
useless for purposes OF manipulation
and has to be kept covered with q
glove Wires extend through the
fingers, so that the latter may be
bent into any desired position.
Under the law any person who has
lost leg or an arm, foot or hand
in the service Of the United States
Government is entitled TO an arti'
fetal member every three years. This
is a very liberal allowance, because
false leg If not abused ought 10
last eight years. Furthermore the
right is not restricted TO soldiers and
sailors. civilian employees OF Uncle
Sam can enjoy 1t likewise.
Few artificial arms are asked for
by those entitled to them, not more
than one arm, indeed. for every 100
legs. Pensioners and others who have
lost such members prefer as rule
to accept money equivalent instead
They are at liberty under the law to
draw $50 every three years in lieu
Of an arm. or IL leg be in Ques ton
the cash Communication allowed is SIS.
There are in this country forty odd
manufacturers of artificial limbs, and
their products differ somewhat in
style and construction. Congress has
declared that the manned veteran is
at liberty to choose his own make OF
leg or arm. To be fitted with it he
may journey to any city in the United
States where the false member can
be purchased and the Government
will pay his travelling expenses, In
Guiding Pullman car accommodations
Ii will not pay for his meals en-
route, ruling on the part Of Uncle
Sam that has elected a good deal o.
grumbling But a crippled old soldier
residing in San Francisco may, if h,
chooses, buy a false leg In Boston
travelling clear across the continent
and back at the Governments eY
pense Some veterans of the civil va
once in three years attend the G.. A
r. reunions without cents cost t,
themselves for travel, electing as /
their privilege to purchase incidental.
limb in the city where the reunion
/ 10 be held.
Such false legs and arms as ca
1 now be bought are OF course yer
modern inventions. 1t may be take
for granted, however, that artificll
substitutes for lost limbs date bac
TO remote antiquity Dr. Ale
Herdlicka of the Smithsonian institt
ton recently dug up In Peru a falls
foot of wood, apparently prehistoric
which was a mere block with socke
evidently intended to be fastened I
the ankle'of a person whose foot ha
been amputated,
Famous in history is the iron han
OF Goetz Won Berlichingen, a knigf
OF medieval Nuremberg; and ther
was another nobleman Of the sam
epoch who had iron foot weghin
ten pounds, with which. being a