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the knee； and the left leg crushed and torn off in the middle third； the right forearm and hand were crushed。 In order to avoid chill and exposure； he was operated on in his old clothes； and while one limb was being amputated the other was being prepared。 The most injured member was removed first。 Recovery was uninterrupted。
There are two cases of spontaneous amputation worthy of record。 Boerhaave mentions a peasant near Leyden； whose axillary artery was divided with a knife； causing great effusion of blood； and the patient fainted。 The mouth of the vessel was retracted so far as to render ligature impossible； and the poor man was abandoned to what was considered an inevitable fate by his unenlightened attendants。 Expecting to die every moment； he continued several days in a languid state； but the hemorrhage ceased spontaneously； and the arm decayed； shrunk； and dried into a mummified stump； which he carried about for quite a while。 Rooker speaks of a fracture of the forearm； near the lower part of the middle third； in a patient aged fourteen。 Incipient gangrene below the seat of fracture； with associate inflammation； developed； but on account of the increasing gangrene it was determined to amputate。 On the fifth day the line of demarcation extended to the spine of the scapula； laying bare the bone and exposing the acromion process and involving the pectoral muscles。 It was again decided to let Nature continue her work。 The bones exfoliated； the spine and the acromial end of the scapula came away； and a good stump was formed。 Figure 212 represents the patient at the age of twenty…eight。
By ingenious mechanical contrivances persons who have lost an extremity are enabled to perform the ordinary functions of the missing member with but slight deterioration。 Artificial arms； hands； and legs have been developed to such a degree of perfection that the modern mechanisms of this nature are very unlike the cumbersome and intricate contrivances formerly used。
Le Progres Medical contains an interesting account of a curious contest held between dismembered athletes at Nogent…Sur…Marne； a small town in the Department of the Seine； in France。 Responding to a general invitation； no less than seven individuals who had lost either leg or thigh； competed in running races for prizes。 The enterprising cripples were divided into two classes： the cuissards； or those who had lost a thigh； and jambards； or those who had lost a leg； and； contrary to what might have been expected； the grand champion came from the former class。 The distance in each race was 200 meters。 M。 Roullin； whose thigh； in consequence of an accident； was amputated in 1887； succeeded in traversing the course in the remarkable time of thirty seconds （about 219 yards）； whereas M。 Florrant； the speediest jambard； required thirty…six seconds to run the same distance； and was； moreover； defeated by two other cuissards besides the champion。 The junior race was won in thirty…five seconds； and this curious day's sport was ended by a course de consolation； which was carried off in thirty…three seconds by M。 Mausire； but whether he was a cuissard or a jambard was not stated。
On several occasions in England； cricket matches have been organized between armless and legless men。 In Charles Dickens' paper； 〃All the Year Round；〃 October 5； 1861； there is a reference to a cricket match between a one…armed eleven and a one…legged eleven。 There is a recent report from De Kalb； Illinois； of a boy of thirteen who had lost both legs and one arm； but who was nevertheless enabled to ride a bicycle specially constructed for him by a neighboring manufacturer。 With one hand he guided the handle bar； and bars of steel attached to his stumps served as legs。 He experienced no trouble in balancing the wheel； it is said that he has learned to dismount； and soon expects to be able to mount alone； although riding only three weeks； he has been able to traverse one…half a mile in two minutes and ten seconds。 While the foregoing instance is an exception； it is not extraordinary in the present day to see persons with artificial limbs riding bicycles； and even in Philadelphia； May 30； 1896； there was a special bicycle race for one…legged contestants。
The instances of interesting cases of foreign bodies in the extremities are not numerous。 In some cases the foreign body is tolerated many years in this location。 There are to…day many veterans who have bullets in their extremities。 Girdwood speaks of the removal of a foreign body after twenty…five years' presence in the forearm。 Pike mentions a man in India； who； at the age of twenty…two； after killing a wounded hare in the usual manner by striking it on the back of the neck with the side of the hand； noticed a slight cut on the hand which soon healed but left a lump under the skin。 It gave him no trouble until two months before the time of report； when he asked to have the lump removed； thinking it was a stone。 It was cut down upon and removed； and proved to be the spinous process of the vertebra of a hare。 The bone was living and healthy and had formed a sort of arthrodial joint on the base of the phalanx of the little finger and had remained in this position for nearly twenty…two years。
White has described a case in which a nail broken off in the foot； separated into 26 splinters； which； after intense suffering； were successfully removed。 There was a case recently reported of a man admitted to the Bellevue Hospital； New York； whose arm was supposed to have been fractured by an explosion； but instead of which 11 feet of lead wire were found in it by the surgeons。 The man was a machinist in the employ of the East River Lead Co。； and had charge of a machine which converted molten lead into wire。 This machine consists of a steel box into which the lead is forced； being pressed through an aperture 1/8 inch in diameter by hydraulic pressure of 600 tons。 Reaching the air； the lead becomes hard and is wound on a large wheel in the form of wire。 Just before the accident this small aperture had become clogged； and the patient seized the projecting wire in his hand； intending to free the action of the machine； as he had previously done on many occasions； by a sharp； strong pull； but in so doing an explosion occurred； and he was hurled to the floor unconscious。 While on the way to the hospital in the ambulance； he became conscious and complained of but little pain except soreness of the left arm about the elbow。 The swelling； which had developed very rapidly； made it impossible for the surgeons to make an examination； but on the following day； when the inflammation had subsided sufficiently； a diagnosis of fracture of the bones of the arm was made。 There was no external injury of the skin of any magnitude； and the surgeons decided to cut down on the trifling contusion； and remove what appeared to be a fragment of bone； lodged slightly above the wrist。 An anesthetic was administered； and an incision made； but to the amazement of the operators； instead of bone； a piece of wire one inch in length and 1/8 inch in diameter was removed。 On further exploration piece after piece of the wire was taken out until finally the total length thus removed aggregated 11 feet； the lon