ARMLESS MOTORIST

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 96, 16 January 1918, Page 7

ARMLESS MOTORIST

WOUNDED OFFICER WITH MECHANICAL LIMBS. Driving a motor-car through the streets of London (sajis the "Daily News") you may happen any day to see a young French officer, Lieutenant Lcrat by name. He wears the ribbons of the Legion of Honour nnd of the Croix do Guerre (with two of the Verdun Army stripes)—but lie iius i'o hands, only stumps instead of arms, ami but a single eye. Lieutenant Lerat. is the possessor of a pair of "Cauet" mechanical arms, henco the apparent miracle. Ho can take a matchbox out of his pocket, select a match from tho box, and light a cigarette; how ho can write a letter n.pidly and legibly; how ho can raiso his cap with his loft "hand," while shaking hands with the right, and perform many other similar surprises. Thousands ofCauct hands and arms nro already being used in France. Indeed, twenty-five French officers wearing the appliance, including several airmen, are actually back at tbe front. Tho new arms are to be carefully compared with tho host that can be produced at Roehampton. Tho Cauet limbs are controlled, through Bowden wires (similar to those used for bicycle brakes), by movements of tho shoulder rnd lower chest muscles. A fully-equipped hand and forearm of Jthis pattern 'only weighs- ljlb.