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The History of Prosthesis
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Because ancient humans had to deal with accidents, wars, and genetic deformities, they must have also learned to deal with these problems with some sort of prosthesis. The best evidence we find is through written records. Written in 484 B.C., Herodotus' Histories tell of a Persian soldier who escapes stocks by cutting off part of his foot, then replacing it with a wooden prosthesis.
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During the Dark Ages, surgeons stopped bleeding by crushing the limb, or dipping it in boiling oil! Prosthesis advancement stayed stagnant until the more modern wars because wars created a need for much prosthesis to be made for injured soldiers.
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The Civil War created a great need for artificial limbs. This demand increased the number of companies dealing with artificial limbs.
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In 1917, the Artificial Limb Manufacturers and Brace Association was formed. Between World War I and World War II, people making prosthetic arms and legs were starting to be viewed more professionally instead of as craftsmen.
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After World War II, more research was done to improve prosthesis and as a result, prosthetic devices have improved greatly. In 1970, the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists was founded to advance studies. The United States supported a research effort called the Artificial Limb Program funded by the Veterans Administration. Now the association has evolved into the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association. Now the AOPA's goal is to help its members more easily overcome and adapt to the ever-present business and regulatory issues that challenge the O&P professional's livelihood and opportunity for success (http://www.aopanet.org/aboutaopa/index.html).
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