Unearth a variety of artefacts revealing the understanding and treatment of physical disability from the 16th century up to today, central to which is one of the finest collections of artificial limbs in the world.
Orthopaedics
1967-1972
'Crash helmet', used by Eddie Freeman, a child affected by the drug thalidomide, made at The Limb Fitting Centre, London, 1967-1972
1966
A pair of lower limb prostheses for a Thalidomide affected child who was born with complete absence of upper limbs (amelia) and phocomelic lower limbs (absent femora, absent tibiae. Fibulae and feet present with additional toes). Blocked leather sockets, embracing both hips and buttocks, open ended to allow the natural feet to hang free. Well padded rigid pelvic bands. Non-jointed dural side struts to wooden feet with imitation shoe covering. Soles are completely flat to aid balance. Note the valve housings on both sockets, these were positioned to permit the natural toes to control valves which operated CO2 wrist rotation units and terminal devices on her upper limb prostheses. A CO2 gas cylinder is located in the left prosthesis. Made by Hanger in 1966.
1914-1918
Left metal below knee prosthesis with leather thigh corset made for a Cypriot truck driver during 1914-18 War. Made in Cyprus.
1801-1880
Iron orthopaedic corset for children
1903
Peg leg made in the shipyard at Blyth (Northumbria) by the father of a 3 year old boy who lost his right leg below the knee in 1903. The patient was still wearing a conventional below knee prosthesis at the age of 79.
1963
Early pair of CO2 gas powered prostheses for a very young child born with very short upper limbs (phocomelia) due to Thalidomide. Plastic arms and forearms with spade-like hands. Friction joints permitting abduction and rotation at the shoulders and rotation and flexion at the elbows respectively. The limbs were positioned by an Occupational Therapist and fixed by tightening the large slotted screws, with the aid of a coin. When the two elbows are set at 900 and the front valve is activated the hands come together. Likewise the hands part when the rear valve is activated. Each valve is connected, by a nylon cord, to a leather waist belt (or lower limb prostheses if worn). Forward bending of the trunk opens the rear valve and the reverse movement causes the front valve to operate. N.B. Limbs such as these, were worn for short training periods each day until the child could progress to more sophisticated prostheses. Made by Steeper 1963.
Cauet mechanical hand, made of aluminium, with cork inlay to the front of the fingers which are articulated only at the metacarpo-phalangeal joints. The thumb and all the fingers "open" by means of a 'pull-cord' which is fixed to the front of the wrist and operated by means of a shoulder harness. Made by Prosthesia Ltd. c.1918.
1968-1972
Pair of artificial legs, used by Eddie Freeman, a child affected by the drug thalidomide, made at the Roehampton Limb Fitting Centre, London, 1967-1972
1915-1925
Certalmid hand with fully opposed thumb with a grooved tip. The index and middle fingers are 'canted' to enable a pen or pencil to be held. In the palm is a screw box fitment for securing a driving cup (for holding a ball on the steering wheel of a car). Probably made by A.E. Evans, c.1920.
1982
Jaipur artificial foot, for Symes amputee, made in India, 1982
1915
Left above elbow prosthesis with a wooden socket connected to a wooden forearm. Metal mechanical hand with passive flexion and extension of the wrist. Elbow flexion is combined with pronation / supination of the wrist. Made by Carnes Arm Company, United States of America 1915.
1801-1830
Pottery statue, entitled "Old Age" depicting a man on crutches, Staffordshire, 1800-1830.
1879-1923
Pair of child's adjustable orthopaedic boots with steel leg braces made by I.A. Best and Son, Birmingham, 1879-1923
1943
Right above elbow heavy duty prosthesis with a blocked leather socket, (not the original). Dural elbow unit with internal/external rotation mechanism and lock (by means of ball-headed pin set on outer side). Detachable metal forearm section, released by rotation of the knurled ring. Similar ring at wrist, rotating externally releases the hand or other terminal device. Rotating the ring in the opposite direction locks the devices. Webbing appendages. The leather flexion cord passes through the back of the elbow and is attached to the stem on the upper part of the forearm. Certalmid hand with index and middle fingers suitably spaced at the base to permit a pen to be held. Fully opposed thumb with a groove at the tip for this purpose. Made by Blatchford, dated 9 December 1943.
Pair of "swivel-walkers" designed for another child, born with complete absence of lower limbs (amelia). Designed at the Ontario Crippled Childrens Centre - Canada and modified in U.K. Made by Fletcher/Hanger 1966.
1942-1945
Right above knee prosthesis, constructed from crashed aircraft in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp in Singapore during World War II. It was made by Royal Engineer prisoners, under the direction of Col. Julian Taylor FRCS and a Sergeant Armourer. Made c.1943. (Weight: 7.5 lbs 3.4 kg).
1993-1995
'Shadow Mono-ski' sports wheelchair with accompanying hand held guide skis, for alpine events, manufactured by Quickie for Sunrise Medical Ltd, England 1993-1995
c.1919
"Openshaw" wooden carrying hand with a tenon thumb. The index and middle fingers are articulated at the metacarpo-phalangeal and proximal inter-phalangeal joints. The ring and little fingers are rigid and slightly flexed with a steel palmar reinforcement, which extends into the palm. The wrist is oval with a screw fitment for attachment to the prosthetic arm. Made by Anderson & Whitelaw c.1919.
1771-1800
Child's spinal support, iron, perhaps French, late 18th century
1925-1935
Left below elbow arm, leather socket, suspended by means of a narrow leather upper-arm band. Oval wrist with screw-on wooden hand, articulated fingers and tenon thumb. Palm-box fitting in which a fork has been positioned. It is presumed the wearer had limited elbow movement hence the unusual position of the fork. Date & origin unknown, probably 1930's but repaired more recently by Steepers.
1930-1950
Doll, ceramic infant doll, encased within a full body-length, supported plaster cast, probably used to demonstrate to child patients their prospective treatment for scoliosis, polio or skeletal TB with accompanying large and small descriptive labels, from the Lord Mayor Treloar Orthopaedic Hospital, Alton, Hampshire, England, 1930-1950
c. 1940
German two-load left split-hook. Made by Otto Bock c.1940.
1916-1918
"Openshaw" carrying hand with broad leather wrist gauntlet. Spring thumb with catgut thong and small ring, for opening by pull-cord. Made by Anderson & Whitelaw, c.1914-18 war.
1914-1916
Arm for a long left below elbow stump. Soft leather socket with 'U-shaped' jointed side steels incorporating a sliding elbow lock, sited on the outer side and fitted to an adjustable leather upper arm 'corset' with wide front aperture. The terminal device has a spline fitting allowing it to be locked or to rotate freely. This is a double hook incorporating a circular hole above, probably for agricultural use. Probably made by Anderson & Whitelaw c.1914-1916.
1920
A McKay all-metal arm for a left above elbow amputation, designed for heavy work. Duralumin socket and forearm, connected by jointed side steels. The elbow joint operates around a metal arc with holes for six locking positions. The lock may be released and kept free by means of a crude gate-hinged device which fits onto a projecting pin on the side steel. The wrist rotary has a snap fitting mechanism, for easy removal of the hand, or any other terminal device. The eyelet holes, in the front of the socket and forearm, are for elastic laces which act as an elbow 'pick-up' and as a clothing protector. This prosthesis is fitted with an all-rubber hand and heavy-duty harness appendages. Made by McKay on 28 April 1920. N.B. The name on the arm label refers to James Morrison who had a financial interest in the McKay business. (Weight: 2.25 lbs 1.25 kg)
1895-1904
Right below elbow prosthesis made for a lady pianist, Elizabeth Burton. Blocked leather socket connected by jointed side steels to a long leather upper arm corset with four strap and buckle fastenings. Large wing nut on inner side of elbow, to lock the joint. Shaped wooden oval wrist with detachable wooden hand. Wide spread fingers, the index, middle and ring being shorter than normal, both thumb and little finger tips are padded. This design allowed the wearer to span an octave of a piano and was made by a Mr Rowden of Abington St, Northampton, c.1903-4.
1918
Hobbs, left mechanical hand. Linked index and middle fingers articulated at middle joint. Other fingers and the opposed thumb are rigid. Round wrist. Bowden-type cable routed centrally through wrist. Patent specimen 1918.
c. 1920
Wooden hand with rigid fingers and semi-opposed tenon thumb. Certalmid wrist section. Made by Steeper, c.1920.
A pair of protective goggles with green tinted lenses used during light therapy at the Lord Mayor Treloar Orthopaedic Hospital, Alton, Hampshire, England, 1930-1950
1795-1820
Admiral Grindall's knife and fork
1913-1923
Ministry of Pensions light-weight "Bird Cage" prosthesis for right above knee amputee. Certalmid socket mounted on a metal skeleton-like structure. The shin is of similar construction with a central supporting rod from end of socket to ankle and jointed at knee level. Wooden foot with metal dorsal surface. Made c.1918.
2012
Running blade for above knee amputee, by Otto Bock Healthcare Ltd, c 2012
2017
SaeboFlex, a mechanical orthotic device for people with neurological impairments, following injury or illness, to retrain their hand's grasp function, by Saebo, 2017
1998
Potato holder, fitted with 4 prongs, can also be used to hold bread, meat or vegatables etc., and can be dismantled for cleaning, by Steeper, 1998.
1968
Two telescopic 'dressing sticks', designed for use by completely armless (amelic) people or those with very short arms (phocomelia), with an S-shaped tip which can be located in a trouser zip, held in the mouths of amelic people, or in the hands or people with short arms, also used to pull-up trousers and tuck-in shirt tails, originally made from a telescopic car aerial and stethoscope tubing, originally designed by Dr. Ian Fletcher in 1959, modifed by Steeper c. 1968.
1801-1900
Physician's cane with copper knob handle, containing glass phial and goblet, probably English, 1801-1900
1965
Pair of prosthetic limbs made for a child, Tracey Baynam, aged 29 months affected by thalidomide, made by J E Hanger, United Kingdom, November 1965
2018
3D printed assistive yellow and red device designed with a Gryffindor House from Harry Potter theme, designed by Drew Murray, for a young user, Isabella, made by Team UnLimbited, Swansea, Wales, 2018
Pair of prosthetic limbs made for a child, Tracey Baynam, aged 4 years and 3 months affected by thalidomide, made by J E Hanger, United Kingdom, September 1966
1967
Pair of prosthetic limbs made for a child, Tracey Baynam, aged 4 years 10 months affected by thalidomide, made by J E Hanger, United Kingdom, March 1967
1971
Pair of prosthetic limbs made for a child, Tracey Baynam, aged 9 years, affected by thalidomide, made by J E Hanger, United Kingdom, May 1971
1771-1870
Physician's wooden walking stick with octagonal black handle and two snakes twined round shaft, probably English, 1770-1870
Pair of prosthetic limbs made for a child, Tracey Baynam, aged 11 months affected by thalidomide, made by J E Hanger, United Kingdom, April 1963
1915-1920
Shipley plate for one-armed men, supplied by T. Goode and Co., made by Booth, English, 1915-1920
1914-1920
Chest pencil for armless men, English, 1914-1920
Wooden divan crutch with Shiraz inlay work, Persian, 19th century
1964
Pair of CO2 gas powered prostheses for a Thalidomide affected child with complete absence of upper limbs (amelia). Valves are sited over both shoulders and activated by the acromion processes. Friction shoulder and elbow joints, for passive positioning. There is a powered right split-hook and wrist rotation unit and a passive left wrist unit with a powered split-hook. Elbow flexion is achieved by means of a perlon cord passing through a pulley and attached to a waist belt. Groin straps are necessary to prevent the belt from riding upwards in a very young child. Made by Steeper 1964.
c. 1930
Certalmid hand with a moveable two-way (sliding) thumb which is tipped with leather. All the fingers are rigid in a moderately flexed position. Made by Blatchford c. 1930.
c.1920
Artificial right hand, aluminium with hard rubber cover, known as the McKay, from Aberdeen Hospital, Scottish, c.1920
Iron divan crutch, Indian or Persian, 19th century
