HELPING THE LIMBLESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17853, 6 August 1921, Page 11

HELPING THE LIMBLESS.

ARTIFICIAL AIDS.

ZENITH FACTORY'S FINE WORK. The hundreds of thousands of maimingssustained by soldiers in tho war created a need for improved artificial limbs and

surgical appliances which had never been experienced before, and this need stimu-

lated the minds of mechanical scientists ; to essay inventions to meet it. So success. f'il have th<ar efforts been that amputees and other &ufjcrers have been given" the opportunity for unexpected usefulness in ' ivil life, and thus a great deal ha*; been done to repair the human wastage, for every soldier who by artificial means is bo equipped a.s to enable him to " carry on" in some usefid occupation means another unit gained in the economic scheme "f things. Thus the work bemg carried on by the Zenith Art ficial Appliances. Ltd., an Auckland company composed mainly of disabled soldiers, is a distinct national asset. This company has a thoroughly equipped plant m its premises at the bottom of Cook >'rci-t, and is doing a. great deal for disabled soldiers and civilians. One of the nr->si important products of the factory is the artificial leg with flexible ankle and ai.<.n knee for tifti who require it. This make of limb embodies all the advantages and eliminates the defects of other kinds. • ft gives maximum strength and utility ro-nbined with miuiraum weight, but, of C'ii'-e, the weight is determined by the >'■••- • f work thp wearer performs. What ''■■•' motor-car is to the traction engine, ><■■■ class of limb is to the old pin leg: '• f.*mcr days. The great point about ■'■ i ai: '•< lal leg is its fit. Apart from the r y ■ hvinti'fj troubles attaching to ill- . • '! srj .-sockets, there arc those which arise '••(7. fniilty measurements. For instance, j ■ mature of the spine may be caused by | ■■firing of ;i leg which is' a fractioi:

h'.'i. and lilting of the pelvis and r ■':• tro'iblfp may Ke brought on through ; '■ - --ini.ir h '■'■'! vvhirh is a Utile too long, j ''':< maker)! of the Zenith limb know from ! ' ir wq pe'v riai ".xrierienee. as. well as \\ rough 'be training tlicv received in Fng- j ' ■; -i!.d France, ex;n|!y how limb i- !| I :•. hiid thus efficient- service is • ETJarar.t«-r| Various kinds of artificial] fl'ri ■ ai-o vr< made. besides various in- i ?'■:'■•.? devices to meet individual re-: <■■■ .'-'jii.ei''.- Tools yre titled with socket r ps and an illustration of the value of f. '•■ appliances to tradesmen may be froru toe fact that a man using ■• uv. to fitting; into the end of his arti- ' ' .1 arm was able to cut through a halfpiece of s'eel a* his first attempt.! '1 ' ■■ firm also make? surgical splints and; ' i.h'p.jedic appliances, according to sur- i !:■■' in evi-i-i|il ions, and has received very ! > ::!> i • -iiincndHtion from the, medical men • :■ •■ rii'd. Practically every piece of I "'"rk . f tins I.tod presents its own pecu-' 1■ - problems, r .nd only experts, possessing « ~.id knowledge of anatomy, as do tiioi /.'■"•ih staff, cin solve these difficulties. ;