§ 24. General CROFTasked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that the Salmon limb is no longer provided for soldiers at Roehampton; whether he can state why it has been abandoned; whether the opinion is strongly held among soldiers that it is the best limb; and if the matter can be again considered?
§ The COMPTROLLER of the HOUSEHOLD (Sir E. Cornwall)Artificial limbs made by Messrs. Salmon and Son are among those approved by the Advisory Council, and may be prescribed by the surgeons at Roehampton in any case where they regard a limb of that make as the most suitable. I am not aware that soldiers regard the Salmon limb as the best, but inquiries on that point are being made.
§ 25. General CROFTasked the Pensions Minister whether he is aware that in nearly every case where artificial limbs are supplied, owing to the shrinking of the stump the soldiers have to be refitted after a short time with a new limb; and whether it would be more economical to issue two artificial limbs at the commencement and so save the State the expense of railway fares, housing, etc., incurred by soldiers in returning to London for the replacement of artificial limbs?
§ Sir E. CORNWALLArtificial limbs very seldom need renewal owing to the shrinking of the stump, new buckets only being necessary, but it is clearly more satisfactory to supply a second limb when shrinkage of the stump has taken place, and in the interval to supply a provisional limb in case of emergency.