SHOES FOR LEPERS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31113, 16 July 1966, Page 21

SHOES FOR LEPERS

N.Z. Doctor’s Solution Tn 30 under-developed countries pioneering work done by a New Zealand doctor is paying off in putting many people, once crippled by leprosy, on their feet again, said the Rev. H. M. Feist of the Mission to Lepers (N.Z.), who recently visited the mission's research sanatorium at Karigiri in South India. Ten years ago Dr. W. S. Robertson, now retired in Heretaunga, spent three years in India with the Mission to Lepers. For 18 years he was the orthopaedic specialist of the Wellington Hospital Board and a consultant of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society. In India he applied orthopaedic principles to designing corrective and protective footwear for people crippled by leprosy.

He had few resources so i began by using palm-tree pith i and old rubber tyres, but he developed low-cost footwear which proved remarkably successful. When he had to return to New Zealand because of his health, this work was carried on by other Mission to Lepers doctors and. after much research. a micro-cellular rubber has been developed with the same resiliency as the flesh of the foot. This rubber is moulded to the foot to spread the weight evenly over the whole sole. The sole is made strong and stiff and the feet so protected are almost completely free from ulcers. “The main problem was the production of rubber of this special resiliency.” said Mr Feist. “But now, with the help of one of the big manufacturers a mill has been built to make it at Karigiri Research Sanatorium. I recently saw this mill in operation. It will send the special rubber to leprosy homes associated with the mission in 30 countries and to any others who will make these special shoes and sandals.”