Mr Parkinson Demonstrates His Arms To Little Girl

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29070, 5 December 1959, Page 14

Mr Parkinson Demonstrates His Arms To Little Girl

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 4. At the Wellington Disabled Servicemen’s Training Centre, today, Mr Jim Parkinson, of Hastings, demonstrated his two artificial arms, which were fitted in the United States only three months ago. Beside him, Susan Wilson, aged 4, stood on her two artificial legs and held her artificial arm up for inspection. Susan had only one arm when

she was born. She had been wearing her legs since she was 18 months old, and she became interested in Mr Parkinson’s artificial arms only when she realised they were similar to her own which she had been wearing only a matter of weeks. Using the powerful muscles of lis shoulders. Mr Parkinson showed how he could manipulate his artificial arms. “I can even take off and put on the arms myself,” he said. Susan was born with only one limb—her left arm. The child’s future was bleak, but with the encouragement of the Sisters of Compassion and the skill of doctors and limb specialists at the training centre she was given artificial legs and when she was two she was walking confidently. A few weeks ago she was fitted with an artificial arm, which with a little bit of thought, she can use efficiently.