Evening star., 1952-07-13
Perfect Wooden Lea
Developed byAustrian
After 80 Years Study

kUFSTEIN, Austrian Tyrol, July
13 (NANA-Kemnews). A new
freedom and a vigorous outdoor
life for 5000. 1000 disabled persons
who have lost one or both legs in
battle or in accidents will now be
available to all if a completely new,
revolutionary artificial limb Is
adopted throughout the world.
After 80 years Of intensive re-
search and patient experiment,
|52-year-old, gray-haired Fritz
|Striede has perfected the perfect
wooden leg"
In the garden Of his modest.
picturesque cottage here, q score
of happy, carefree disabled men
and women Of all ages and walks
Iof life can be seen taking their
first unsure steps. running down.
stairs. jumping over benches,
twisting and turning as they walk
and run playing tennis.
A, former Austrian ski teacher
who had lost both his legs above
the knee said he could now ski
again with perfect ease. "al-
though" he added ruefully, II
don't go in for competitions any
more"
Fame Is Widespread.
Outside. in the yard, big, ex-
pensive cars with Swiss and Ger
man number plates bore witness
to the fame and success of Mr..
Striede's artificial leg.
Like the original, primitive
wooden stump of the old seafar-
ing days, the latest aid for the
disabled is made of wood, too;
mainly of willow and ordinary
millboard.
Unlike most artificial legs. mass
produced in factories in Britain
and America in metal and plastic,
the Striede leg has no mechanism
and is not secured by straps.
In action, it is hard, if not i'm
possible. to tell the difference be-
tween the artificial and the human
limb.
The foot" is made Of wood,
with a thick. solid rubber sole,
with q cleverly built-in hollow In
the center Of the heel to allow for
proper balance.
The "foot" Is glued to the shin
which can be cut down to fit the
wearer. At the top of the shin
are two beveled sockets, padded
with strips Of leather.
Hinges Like Real Leg.
Into these sockets-just as in
the human leg-the "knee" piece,
with two knuckles Of a specially
hardened plastic. fits snugly and
hinges like the human leg.
| Glued onto the top of the 'knee'
comes the thigh" a followed -out,
shaped piece of willow.
On the exact fitting of this
piece. tine most important part.
depends the comfort and freedom
of action Of the wearer.
The secret of the success Of Mr..
Striede's artificial leg lies in the
fact that the leg Is kept on by
suction, and is worked entirely by
the leg muscles in the stump.
Just like most Of US, the wearer
starts the day by putting on q
sock. The leg Is then put on over
the sock and the stump, and,
finally, the sock is pulled OF
through a small hole at the base Of
the thigh"
Muscles Grow Stronger.
Within a day or two, the wearer
is taking long country walks, and
within a week. as his muscles
grow stronger after probably
months. if not years, Of inaction,
he is dancing. playing golf. or
indulging in almost any other
sport he fancies.
In price, the new leg, made to
measure" costs little more than
an orthodox mass-produced ar
ticle.
Until now, Mr.. Striede has been
handicapped by lack Of money,
and strong opposition by manu-
Ifacturers Of mass-produced arti-
fetal limbs in other countries.
But now he has gained world
recognition from leading medical
authorities. and has q substantial
grant from America.
Like all other successful inven-
tions, the new artificial limb is
simplicity itself, when compared
with the dozen different types of
modern, orthodox artificial limbs,
but a great degree of skill is
needed in fitting the .thigh" so
that there is no friction.