PROSTHETIC LIMBS
Prosthetics have been mentioned throughout history. The earliest recorded mention is the warrior queen Vishpala in the Rigveda. The Egyptians were early pioneers of the idea. Roman crowns have also been found, but their use could have been more than medical.
Another early mention of a prosthetic comes from the story of Hegesistratus, a Greek man who cut off his foot to escape from Spartan captors and replaced it with one made of wood. Pliny the Elder also recorded that a Roman soldier had his arm cut off had an iron one made to hold his shield up when he returned to battle. Gotz von Berlichingen is somewhat famous now due to his fake arm.
Around the same time,Francois de la Noue is also reported to have had an iron hand, as is, in the 1600s century,Rene-Robert Caviler de la Salle. During the Dark Ages, prosthetics remained quite basic in form. Debilitated knights would be fitted with prosthetics so they could hold up a shield. Only the wealthy could afford anything that would assist in daily life. During the Renaissance, prosthetics developed with the use of iron, steel, copper, and wood. Functional prosthetics began to make an appearance in the 1500s.
Gotz von Berlichingen, a German mercenary, developed a pair of iron hands that could be moved by a series of catches and springs. An Italian surgeon recorded the existence of an amputee who had an arm that allowed him to remove his hat, open his purse, and sign his name. Improvement in amputation surgery and prosthetic design came at the hands of Ambroise Paré. Among his inventions was an above-knee device that was a kneeling peg leg and foot prosthesis with a fixed position, adjustable harness, and knee lock control. The functionality of his advancements showed how future prosthetics could develop.
Another early mention of a prosthetic comes from the story of Hegesistratus, a Greek man who cut off his foot to escape from Spartan captors and replaced it with one made of wood. Pliny the Elder also recorded that a Roman soldier had his arm cut off had an iron one made to hold his shield up when he returned to battle. Gotz von Berlichingen is somewhat famous now due to his fake arm.
Around the same time,Francois de la Noue is also reported to have had an iron hand, as is, in the 1600s century,Rene-Robert Caviler de la Salle. During the Dark Ages, prosthetics remained quite basic in form. Debilitated knights would be fitted with prosthetics so they could hold up a shield. Only the wealthy could afford anything that would assist in daily life. During the Renaissance, prosthetics developed with the use of iron, steel, copper, and wood. Functional prosthetics began to make an appearance in the 1500s.
Gotz von Berlichingen, a German mercenary, developed a pair of iron hands that could be moved by a series of catches and springs. An Italian surgeon recorded the existence of an amputee who had an arm that allowed him to remove his hat, open his purse, and sign his name. Improvement in amputation surgery and prosthetic design came at the hands of Ambroise Paré. Among his inventions was an above-knee device that was a kneeling peg leg and foot prosthesis with a fixed position, adjustable harness, and knee lock control. The functionality of his advancements showed how future prosthetics could develop.
