Metal from Salvaged Planes Used to Make Lightweight Braces at Northington General Hospital

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Title

Metal from Salvaged Planes Used to Make Lightweight Braces at Northington General Hospital

Subject

Northington General Hospital
World War II

Description

Splints and spinal braces made in Northington's Orthopedic Brace Shop are a third their former weight. The weight-reducing material is an aluminum alloy which replaces steel in the older and heavier brace.

From three salvaged airplane wings donated by the Aeronautical Engineering Department of the University of Alabama, a 1000-pound supply of the precious alloy has been provided to the hospital.

Pictured dismanteling the salvaged wings are CE Tom Clements in foreground (left) and Pfc. Rodolph Dow and on the upright wing Pvt. Roy Thomas (left) and Pfc. Primo Ronca.

The far-reaching effect of substituting a light-weight aluminum alloy for steel in orthopedic braces may be gauged from the statement of Maj. Gen. Norman E. Kirk, Surgeon General of the United States Army, that we may expect 60 per cent of our battle casualties to be orthopedic.

Source


Personal Collection of Whitney Telle

Publisher

Northington General Hospital News

Date

July 21, 1944

Type

Newspaper

Identifier

59

Coverage

Tuscaloosa (AL)

Text

Northington General Hospital News

Original Format

Newspaper