NEW ‘ARTIFICIAL LEG.

Western Star, 30 April 1920, Page 3

NEW ‘ARTIFICIAL LEG.

OFFICER’S AGILITY. Remarkable feats of agility were performed by an officer wearing a new type of artificial leg on a stump 6in long at Sister Randell’s gymnasium classi for the disabled at St. Thomas’s- HovSpital, S.W. Without any aid the officer strolled quite naturally across a slippery floor, walked along a plank, climber a ladder, danced, jumped, and when on. a beam balanced himself on one leg. The new leg, designed by a Belgian airman -who lost his leg flying, is made of “Buralumin,” and weighs 4flb, against the Bflb of the leg supplied by the Government. The hospital authorities claiml that with the “ Buralumin' leg the wearer can walk all day without undue fatigue, whereas with the type issued by the Government the men are exhausted before reaching their work in the morning. “Buralumin” is an alloy, said to have the lightness of aluminium and the strength of steel, which is used for aeroplane fittings. “I shoot, play cricket, dance, and fish,” said an ..officer with the new leg. “In fact, I am very nearly back to normal. Bat with the old leg life was misery.” Sir Arthur Stanley, president df the hospital, is trying to obtain these legs for every officer and man. He has already fitted 1 out about 30 officers and men from a fund which he collected, the Government grant being insufficient.