ORDER XX.—WORKERS IN MIXED OR UNDEFINED MATERIALS (not elsewhere enumerated)

Sub-order 4.—Other Workers

683.—Surgical Appliance and Artificial Limb Makers

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acoustic instrument maker ; deaf instrument matter, ear trumpet matter, hearing trumpet matter

general term for any worker engaged in making ear trumpets or other instruments used by deaf persons; cuts sheet metal to shape, with shears or knife; sometimes also uses lathes and drilling machines, and various tools, in shaping metal parts; beats sheet metal round a mould with a hammer, and sometimes also brazes it to form trumpet; cuts and shapes, if necessary, on lathes and drilling machines, vulcanite or other parts, but these are usually supplied ready-made and finished; fits together metal and vulcanite or other parts, with hand tools; work varies greatly according to type of instrument, but in many cases resembles that of telephone maker (309) q.v.

anatomical machinist

sews together with sewing machine, parts of anatomical appliances, e.g. trusses, surgical belts, coverings for irons.

artificial limb maker

hollows out, with hand-carving tools, wooden parts of artificial limbs; makes joints and fixes them with small pins; covers parts of limbs by glueing on leather sheaths; fits in special "Bowden'' wire to movable joints to enable wearer to operate them; assembles and fits together all parts oi limb.

deaf instrument maker

see acoustic instrument maker.

deformity worker

see orthopaedic instrument maker.

ear trumpet maker, hearing trumpet maker

see acoustic instrument maker.

orthopaedic instrument fitter

instructs orthopaedic instrument maker q.v. as to measurements of instruments, and is responsible for correct fitting of instruments; often consults with surgeon and receives instructions as to measuring and fitting; often also examines and measures deformed person for instruments where it is not essential that this should be done by surgeon.

orthopaedic instrument maker, orthopaedic mechanician, orthopaedic steel worker ; deformity worker, surgical mechanic

receives measurements and instructions from orthopaedic instrument fitter q.v.; forges steel bar or strip, if necessary, by hammering it on bench fitted with a vice, to make rods of appliance or to make racks, if these are required; hammers rod or strip to shape; fits it up on a lathe, e.g., turning, drilling, screwing, cutting, shaping, or by scraping or filing; attaches small parts and assembles parts to form complete instrument; hardens and tempers instrument; passes to polisher (238) q.v.; sometimes pads instruments, by wrapping them with felt and stitching on a leather cover, by machine; sometimes makes splints, by heating plastic felt and moulding it to shape on limb, or by dissolving celluloid in acetone and applying this in coats alternately with several layers of gauze, the whole setting firmly to form splint; is able to shape instruments to fit and support deformities of hip, spine, limb, etc.

respirator maker

makes frames of respirators from wire and stamped metal, and sews fabric thereon.

splint maker

(i) planes and cuts wood for wooden parts of splints, on woodworking machines; sandpapers parts, by hand, and screws them together, sometimes first dovetailing them, by hand;

(ii) makes splints, for stock, of metal, but does not make to specification; stamps out metal parts in a power press; forges joints and hardens and tempers them; sometimes turns parts of splints.

surgical appliance maker

general term for any worker engaged in making surgical appliances; includes wood workers, leather workers, and steel workers.

surgical belt maker

an anatomical machinist q.v. who sews anatomical or surgical belts by machine or by hand.

surgical mechanic

(i) see orthopaedic instrument maker;

(ii) general term covering workers in surgical appliance trade, including orthopaedic instrument maker, splint maker, blunt worker (682), and sometimes also surgical instrument maker (682) q.v.

truss coverer

a surgical belt maker q.v. engaged in sewing, by machine or by hand, leather or fabric covers of hernia trusses.

truss maker

makes surgical trusses, of steel; cuts steel strip, drills and rivets; covers with padding of wool or hair and leather or cotton fabric; cf. truss coverer.

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From: A Dictionary of Occupational Terms Based on the Classification of Occupations used in the Census of Population, 1921,
Ministry of Labour, 1927. Digitised by Peter Christian, August, 2016.   This text is in the Public Domain.