Dr. Bly’s Artificial Leg
Jan 13th, 2014 by bachmann
In 1858, Douglas Bly, a physician from Rochester, New York, invented and patented an artificial leg that incorporated new technology, materials, and design to better mimic the movements of the human leg. His knowledge of anatomy informed his approach, which was focused on providing a more natural gait to the disabled. The most important improvements were related to his ball and socket ankle, which were made of an ivory ball resting within a rubber socket. This ankle design not only provided a smoother and less jarring support system, but also allowed for the natural inversion and eversion of the human foot, giving mobility inward and outward.
The outbreak of the Civil War led to an extraordinary number of disabled soldiers with amputations in the tens of thousands, resulting in an ovewhelming demand for prosthetics. The competition amongst manufaturers of artificial limbs was great as each tried to gain a lucrative or exclusive government contract. Though a doctor by trade, Douglas Bly was a surprisingly persistent and effective self-promoter, making sure his invention was well publicized across the country, with particular pitches to the US Government. Though it was recognized as a superior prosthetic, the US government determined the cost of Bly’s leg too great to supply as the preferred limb replacement for soldiers. As a compromise to Dr. Bly, soldiers were given the option to pay the additional cost “out of pocket” if they opted for Dr Bly’s advanced model. During the Civil War, he published a simple pamphlet that was basically an “infomercial” pointing out the failings of his competitors and presenting a slew of endorsements by satisfied customers.
Formerly the manufacture of artificial legs has been left entirely to common mechanics, and those who have undergone amputation, but who have little or no knowledge of anatomy ; consequently, the construction of artificial legs has been merely mechanical, and not anatomical. They have imitated some of the motions of the natural leg quite well, but others not at all. Indeed it could hardly be expected that any one but ananatomist should be able to model a leg so close to nature, as to imitate allthe varied motions of the natural leg.
Though the perfection of my Anatomical Leg is truly wonderful, I do not want every awkward, big-footed, or gambreled shanked person, who always strided or shuffled along in a slouching manner with both his natural legs, to think that one of these must necessarily transform him or his movements into specimens of symmetry, neatness and beauty, as if by magic, as Cinderella’s frogs were turned into sprightly coachmen. They are just what I recommend them to be—neither more nor less.
– Dr. Douglas Bly
- Description:
- Bly, Douglas. A new and important invention, by Douglas Bly, M.D. :by frequent dissections, Dr. Bly has succeeded in embodying the principles of the natural leg in an artificial one, and in giving it lateral, or side motion at the ankle, the same as the natural one. Rochester, [N.Y.] : Curtis, Butts, 1862.
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:11156844
- Repository:
- Widener Library
- Institution:
- Harvard University