CO2 gas-powered artificial arms, Roehampton, England, 1963 A
child born with very short upper limbs (phocomelia) due to
Thalidomide used these CO2 gas-powered prostheses. The drug
Thalidomide was given to pregnant women in the late 1950s and
early 1960s to ease morning sickness and aid sleep. It caused
thousands of serious birth defects worldwide. Several hundred
occurred in the UK. Babies were born with under-developed or
missing limbs. The drug was withdrawn in 1962. These artificial
arms were developed at Queen Mary’s Hospital, Roehampton, made
by artificial limb manufacturer Steeper. They replaced some of
the child’s missing functions. They are manoeuvrable by a system
of gas canisters attached to valves in the upper body casing.
These are triggered by specific movements made with the upper
body. Limbs such as these were worn for short, daily training
periods until the child progressed to more sophisticated
prostheses. Although an ingenious invention, they were
ultimately a failure as few children chose t