9. Early Prosthetic Limbs
Early prosthetic limbs were indeed no picnic, especially for those of middle or lower classes. Primitive prosthetic limbs were often quite uncomfortable, with first “peg legs” usually being connected by forcing a joint-like protuberance into a hollowed out cavity made in the stump of a patient’s leg at the time of amputation. Others had to be attached through straps and belts. Early models were also often rigid and contained no articulation, meaning there was no jointing to allow for anything resembling regular movement. While the wealthy and some inventors or artists developed more advanced prototypes with some primitive forms of action, these were out of reach for the average disabled person.
The woman in the photograph appears to have a modified version of an Anglesey Leg, named after the Marquess of Anglesey who lost his leg in the Battle of Waterloo. This leg, a vast improvement over earlier models, included a steel knee joint to allow for better movement. It also had an articulated foot that was controlled with catgut tendons running from the knee to the ankle. Later 19th-century improvements included suction cup attachment for better comfort as well as hiding the catgut tendons under smooth coverings for a more natural appearance.
Much like with wheelchairs, the US Civil War and its massive number of casualties led to a significant advance in prosthetics as well. World War II also led to rapid improvements in prosthetics, as did the disability rights movements of the 60s and 70s.