One of Joseph Merrick's many tragedies was damage to his left hip, the result of falling when he was a child. Nobody knows exactly how it happened, but the injury was left untreated and resulted in his becoming permanently crippled. He was left with a painful limp that kept him from moving fast or escaping taunting followers in public. The only aid he had was a walking stick. Frederick Treves must have felt helpless seeing Joseph struggle to get around.
Unfortunately, medical science hadn't yet developed total hip replacement (arthroplasty) as a remedy for hip injury and various forms of chronic arthritis. The first attempt was an operation carried out by German doctor in 1891. Joseph died in 1890, just a few years too soon to benefit from this successful procedure that has brought relief to millions.
Having just had my left hip replaced with a high-tech titanium artificial device, I can attest to the improvement I already feel. The surgeon cheerfully told me afterwards that he had found "bone against bone," meaning no cartilage was left. It was high time to have the procedure done, and I can look forward to an active, healthy life once again.
If only Joseph could have had a left hip replacement! He could have enjoyed less painful strolls in the hospital garden and out in his beloved countryside. There were so many " if-onlys" in his life, and that was a big one.
To learn more about the history of this fascinating and highly successful invention, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_replacement
I remember when I went to see the skeleton in person, I was saddened to see just how damaged the hip joint really was. The bone looked like it was melted. There was no ball-and-socket joint left. The thigh bone appeared to be hanging on by a thread.
ReplyDeleteI remember in the latest documentary about Joseph's life, the doctors and scientists kept claiming that he shouldn't have been able to walk, and yet he did.
Yes, he had amazing endurance to get through each day. Despite his gentle nature, he had an inner toughness that was hard to defeat.
ReplyDeleteYou got to hand it to him. He managed to make it all the way back to London from Belgium (for the most part) on his own.
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