CARS FOR MEN MINUS A LIMB.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1419, 5 July 1917, Page 24

CARS FOR MEN MINUS A LIMB.

AFTER-WAR PROBLEM RECEIVES ATTENTION.

An interesting article recently appeared in the English “Autocar,” dealing with the problem that will arise in regard to finding suitable employ-

ment for soldiers and sailors who will return to civilian life minus a limb. The writer points out that the majority of occupations—certainly those ot an active character —that engage normally the attention of the male population are of such a nature as to call for the full complement of limbs provided by Nature. We would all be, he continues, reluctant to contemplate the possibility of those men who. in their country’s service, have lost either an arm or a leg being restricted to occupations of an indoor variety, and it, therefore, behoves us at the earliest possible moment to consider whereby the loss of a limb can be made of comparatively small account for men who wish to lead a normal, active life. So far as enabling these men safely to handle a motor vehicle is concerned, there are two schools of thought. One is represented by those who think that the maimed men should be trained to manipulate a standard chassis, and the other by those who consider that a special type, or special types, of chassis should be introduced by designers with a view to simplifying, as far as possible, the control of the steering gear, engine, brakes and gear-chang-ing mechanism.

One example of the first school of thought is the Queen Mary’s Auxiliary Hospital at Roehampton for sailors and soldiers who have lost a limb. Here are to be found admirably equipped workshops, where the wounded men are taught motor mechan'sm and driving, and are expected to attain proficiency in the first instance without such assistance as may subsequently be forthcoming from an artificial limb. The chassis employed are standard in every respect, and some very remarkable examples of the success possible from this method of training have been produced by the hospital authorities. On the other hand, it is quite obvious that there are certain fairly welldefined limits beyond which a wouldbe motor car driver who has lost the use of an arm or a leg cannot go in handling any chassis designed for the individual with all his limbs intact. This is not in any way surprising, for even the most expert drivers will admit that in emergencies full employment is found for the brain and for its four servants the legs and arms.

Upon the whole, therefore, it seems to us desirable that no effort should be spared to modify the design of chassis where necessary, so that a

certain number of the ordinary duties should be removed from the legs and added to the arms, or vice versa, and the vehicle rendered as easy as possible to control, whatever the limb that is missing may be. The most favoured suggestion has been advanced by Mr. J. Burns Dumbell, of Wolverhampton, who contends that those interested in this highly important and deserving subject should invite the co-operation of all chassis designers in an effort to solvo the various problems raised in this connection. The car suitable for use by a one-legged or one-armed driver is not unknown, motors built for this particular purpose having been used successfully, this being accomplished by a modification of the system of operating clutch and brake pedals. Various means have been employed to this end, and have proved quite satisfactory, though there is unquestionably room for improvements on the systems already devised. Should chassis designers concentrate their attention on this worthy problem there is little doubt several highly suitable types of cars suitable for use by those who have lost an arm or a leg in this ghastly war will be evolved, and in doing so makers will have conferred a blessing upon humanity.