CRICKET ON ONE LEG.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1920, Page 7

CRICKET ON ONE LEG.

OFFICER'S AGILITY. Remarkable feats of agility were performed by an officer wearing a new type of artificial leg on a stump Gin long at Sifter Randeli's gymnasium class for the disabled at St. Thomas' Hospital, S-W. Without any aid the officer strolled quite naturally across a slippery floor, walked alone a plank, climbed a ladder, danced, jumped, and when on a beam balanced himself on one leg. The new leg, designed by a Belgian airman who lost his leg flying, is made of "Buralumin," and weighs 431b., against the B%lb of the leg being supplied by the Government. The hospital authorities claim that with the "Buralumin" leg the wearer can walk all day without, undue fatigue, whereas with ihe type issued by the Government the men are exhausted before reaching their work in the morning.

"Buralumin" is an alloy, said to have the lightness of aluminium and the strength of steel, which is used for aeroplane fittings. "I shoot, play cricket, dance, and lii-h," said an officer with the new leg, "In fact 1 am very nearly back to normal. But, with the old leg life was miserv." ■, ,

Sir Arthur Stanley, president of the. hospital, is trying tn obtain these legs for every officer and man. He has already fitted out about 30 officers and men from a fund which he collected, the Government grunt being insuffloionl.