A WOMAN WITH ARTIFICIAL HANDS AND FEET.

Dunstan Times, Issue 415, 1 April 1870, Page 3

A WOMAN WITH ARTIFICIAL HANDS AND FEET.

Lately several distinguished lumbers of the medical and surgical profession assembled at the house of Mr. Heather Bigg, in Wimpole-street, to inspect one of those cases in which art has endeavoured to replace the ravages of disease. A Scoctbwornan, named Anderson, was seized in the course of last summer with gangrene in the hands and feet, and the amputation of all four extremities became necessary. The operation was performed at Dundee, and the womgn was subsequently set to London. While here the case came under the notice of Mr. Heather Bigg, and he volunteered to supply her with artificial hands and feet. The work was accomplished, and those who assembled on Saturday evening came to witness the success of an experiment unique in its \vay, as the instance of any individual losing all four extremities is believed to be without a parallel in the records of medical science Although not as yet habituated to the hands with which science has supplied her, Mrs. Anderson was, nevertheless, able to use a knife and fork, to write a fair legible hand, and even to crochet. By an ingenious contrivance she is enabled to exercise that prehensible power with the fingers and thumbs which anatomical mechanicians have so long sought in vain to secure. As to her feet and ankles, when she stands erect they might challenge in respect to beauty the criticism of the most severe, while as regards utility it is sufficient to say that she can walk with ease if supported on the arm of a friend, and it is confidently expected that when in a few weeks’ time she has become habituated to the use of her new feet, she will he able to walk without assistance.—“ Morning Post.”