ARTIFICIAL LIMBS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1924, Page 8

ARTIFICIAL LIMBS

GOOD NEWS FOR DISABLED MEN

A NEW ZEALANDER'S INVENTIONS.,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 13th December.

As the result of Sir Donald M'Gavin's visit to this country a supply of the most up-to-date artificial limbs will shortly be available for the 900 disabled ex-soldiers in New Zealand. While the Director-General of Medical Supplies was over here a month or two ago he was in consultation with Sir James Allen, who is thoroughly conversant with the most recent developments in artificial limbs. Sir Donald further called upon the Ministry of Pensions, who advised him to get in contact with Mr. P. M. M'Kay, a. New Zealander, who has developed the manufacture of artificial appliances to a wonderful extent, and now supplies by far the greater proportion of the limbs required by the British Ministry of Pensions. Sir Donald went over Mr. M'Kay's factory iv London two or three times, where disabled men are employed, and he was thoroughly convinced of the efficacy of the work done there. The result is that arrangements have now been completed by the High Commissioner, and, by the Corinthic, on 28th December, Mr. M: T. Ryan (Mr. M'Kay's chief fitter, and, incidentally, the first New Zealander serving in the British Army to be wounded in the war), will go out to the Dominion for the purposes of taking measurements and of instructing those employed in the Oov- i ernment workshops in the repair of tha artificial limbs. There was some suggestion that the Government should install a plant for the manufacture of the limbs in New Zealand, but after consideration it was found that it was more economical to have the limbs made here with expert labour, and where, too, expensive machinery is available. The arrangement is that the limbs will be supplied to the New Zealand Government at the same price as is paid by the Ministry of Pensions here. Mr. Ryan will go out to the Dominion and take the measurements of the disabled men, and by a special cods that has been arranged these measurements will be cabled to London. It is interesting to note that some 30 or 40 measurements in the case of each, fitting will be sent over in the compass of two or three words. Rough iicKets—that is, the portion which fits on to the stump of the arm or the las; - • will be taken out to New Zealand and fitted to the various patients out there. This work will be done by the employees at the Government workshops under the superintendence of Air. Ryan, and the completed buckets will be 'rent to London, arriving in time to be fitted to the rest of the artificial arm or leg. In I ™is way no time will be wasted, and the disabled man will have the appliances '■ very soon. , DURALIMIN. Both legs and arms are being made of •durahmin, a metal much like alummium, except that it contains a greater percentage of manganese to 'harden it. It thus has the lightness of aluminium with the strength of mild steel. . Mr. Ryan will give instruction in the annealing and the shaping of this material, work that requires considerable experience, and some 501b of the sheet metal wil be taken out. He will take out also tools and material for working the duralimin, as well as a number of adjustable limbs for the purpose of instruction in the use of the M'Kay arms, le^s and appliances. . _ A recent development of considerable importance is the enamelling of the inside of the artificial limbs. It was.found that perspiration was apt to rust the metal A secret preparation is bein" used by a firm of motor-car manufacturers and Mr. M'Kay is taking advantage of this process and having the insides of the limbs specially enamelled and stoved. This makes the metal impervious to the damp. MANUFACTURE OF CERTALMID., In addition a fairly new material is being used for the manufacture of artificial hands. This is known as certalmid. A wax replica of a hand is shaped, and a fabric is laid over this and a coat of a special gum applied. A second layer of fabric is then wound over the gum and allowed to dry, and then more gum and more fabric: From 12 to 16 layers of the fabric are necessary before the work is complete. The wax' is then melted out and a light hollow hand is thus obtained. The strength of the article thus built up is astounding. A heavy man can stand on the bent fingers without bending or injuring them. Certalmid is now being used in many of the hospitals for back; leg, and arm splints. Mr. Ryan will take out the necessary ingredients and give instruction in the manufacture of the material. Instruction will also be given in the M'Kay system of taking plaster casts so as to facilitate future orders. Some two years ago the M'Kay factory was turning out from ICO to 120 artificial arms a week for the Ministry of Pensions. When this number went down to £0 to 100 a month attention was directed to ihe perfecting of an artificial leg. Now the factory is employed to lull capacity in turning out artificial les;s for the innumerable disabled men who come under the care of the Ministry of Pensions in all parts of the United Kingdom. Mr. Ryan has just come up to London from Glasgow, where, since March, he has been busy demonstrating the M'Kay patents, and he has had numerous letters of appreciation from disabled exService men who have been made comfortable and happy by the attachment of one of these limbs.