The Evolution of Prosthetic Limbs: A History
A example of prosthetics changing
Ancient writing has references to prosthetics used in stories and poems, but some of the earliest historical accounts of prosthetic limb use were recorded during the Greek and Roman times. However, prosthetic limbs have definitely had major changes over time, whether it be the new fake skin that is now used to make the prosthetic device seem like they are natural, or it be the new bionic technologies that allow the wearer of the prosthetic limb to control the movement by thought like they would with the original limb. The original prosthetic limbs were generally crude walking sticks or "peg-legs" as they have been dubbed from their appearance of a peg used in the place of a lost leg. Newer materials are now used, such as advanced plastic and carbon-fiber, making prosthetic devices stronger and more life-like. They are custom-fit for whomever they are designed for.
- In 2000, some researchers digging in Cairo, Egypt, discovered what they believe to be the oldest documented artificial body part, a prosthetic toe that was made using wood and leather. The device was found on some 3,000-year-old remains of an Egyptian noblewoman. Other than current or modern prosthetic limbs, such devices have been built with the basics, such as wood, metal and leather.
- There is the historical account of Marcus Sergius, a Roman general that ended up losing his right hand in battle during the second Punic War. The part of this he was, however, famous for was the fact that he had a replacement hand fashioned out of iron for the purpose of holding his shield and returned to battle, continuing in the fighting.
- There is a history of the use of prosthetics from the Dark Ages -- nearly 2,000 years later. Armored knights of this era often relied on iron prosthetic limbs, usually crafted by the same metalworker that made their armor. These bulky limbs were designed to hide the loss, not for efficiency, since a loss of limb was considered at the time to be an embarrassing deformity.
- Most famously attributed to seafaring pirates, peglegs with wooden cores and metal hands shaped into hooks have actually been the prosthetic standard throughout much of history (while Hollywood has exaggerated their use of hooks and peglegs, pirates did sometimes rely on these types of prostheses.) The required materials for these devices could be scavenged from a common pirate ship. However, a trained doctor would have been rare, so instead, the ship's cook generally performed amputation surgeries, though with quite low success rates.