Amputation; Artificial limbs; Orthopedics; Surgery, Military
If there is a complete transverse bolt, the joint can be securely
locked by a single lock at one of its extremities (at the outer
extremity) (Figs. 36 to 39).
If there are two lateral joints the single lock is insufficient, both
joints must be fixed at once; unless this is done, that which is not
fixed has a certain amount of play and is strained.
It is, however, simple, by means of a posterior semicircle, to joint
the two locks and to work them together by a single movement (Fig. 32).
For æsthetic reasons the wooden leg piece may be made in the shape of
a leg and foot. But if the principle of the peg leg has been adopted,
for an agricultural labourer for example, on account of its stability,
it is better to use an appliance in which a "show leg" is fitted
around the simple peg on days when appearance is more important than
work (Figs. 37 to 45). The limb is thus rendered lighter, for the
false calf consists of a simple layer of felt and it is very easy to
replace the enlarged lower end of the peg by a foot.
[Illustration: FIGS. 37 to 40.--Attachment by a mortise, and
show foot.]
We show later two models of this sort, one with an American thigh
piece of wood and a single lock upon a transverse axle, the other with
a leather thigh piece and a double lock. The first (Figs. 37 to 40) is
shown with an attachment by braces, and the second (Figs. 41 to 47)
with an attachment by means of a waist belt; we have already explained
when these two must be combined.
[Illustration: FIG. 41. FIGS. 42 to 47.
_Leather and steel peg leg, with show foot._
Figures 41 to 47 (leather appliance) should be compared with figures
37 to 40 (wooden appliance) which complete them in certain points. It
is unnecessary to refer further to the method of fitting the bucket to
the suspension, or to the method of attaching and locking the knee.
The peg--attached above by a stirrup or by a mortise, it does not
matter which--ends below in a rectangular tenon which fits into a
corresponding excavation in the upper surface of the terminal piece,
whether peg or foot (Figs. 38 and 44). A transverse bolt, square in
section, with a head at one end and a thread at the other, fixes these
two parts together. By taking out this bolt the peg can be replaced by
the foot or _vice versâ_.
If the attachment of the foot is made in the heel, a fixed foot is
used (Figs. 43 and 45), but it is easy, by making the attachment
higher, to use a foot with movable ankle joint (Fig. 40).
The attachment of the show calf piece around the peg is shown in
figures 43 and 45.]
Most often the wooden thigh piece is to be preferred; the limb is
lighter and may last four or five years instead of about two years.
We may add that leather loses its shape and the bucket becomes
enlarged, producing inconveniences already described on page 18.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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