WHEEL CHAIR
BY SHA HAKER
S3126012
In February 1942, an invasion of the Australian continent appeared imminent. Just ten weeks after Japan’s whirlwind invasion of Sout-East Asia, Australia itself became the target of air and sea attacks. Attacks on Australia continued into 1943 and it was until September that year that Prime Minster John Curtin finally announced to his cabinet that the danger of invasion had passed. There was still victory to be won, but that was elsewhere and Australia was no longer threatened. It was during this period of Australian History that this piece of domestic technology was constructed. This explains the use of recycled goods in the manufacture of this product, in times of war enginuity as well as resources are stretched and so we are left with these more excentric inventions.
The wheelchair was used for 39 years from 1943 untill 1982. It was used solely in Albert park and Oakleigh, Victoria. The wheelchair has been changed several times, originally the handle was black and wooden. The tyres have been re-placed many times, the seat was originally sprung with coil springs and canvas and the back of the
chair has been shortend to it’s current state. The entire chair is wooden.There is also a small rectangular shelf located behind the seat to cart small personal items.
The wheelchair is propelled by the movement of a handle rotated by the passanger’s right hand. The handle on the right is linked to the right wheel with a bicycle chain to provide forward motion. There is a second handle on the left hand side which steers the chair as well as allowing brakeing power.
The wheelchair belonged to Lorraine Simpson, who caught polio in December 1937 aged 7. Polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease which is spread from person to person via the fecal oral route. In about 1% of cases the virus enters the central nervous system via the bloodstream. The polio virus preferentially infects and destroys motor neurons, and causes muscle weakness.
Lorraine spent several years in hospitals. She lived in the Mallee, and was sent to Bendigo Base Hospital for treatment when she contracted the virus.
In 1940 her family moved to Melbourne. Until 1941 Lorraine stayed in Frankston Orthopaedic Hospital. When the children’s hospital was evacuated, her mother decided that she wanted her daughter at home.
The chair was made in 1943 by an invalid in Burnley who made this wheelchair from old and disused bicycle parts. The fact that he himself was disabled leads us to believe that he had a more intimate knowledge of what it is to be restrained and is perhaps why he created this once off piece.
Lorraine’s grandmother purchased it for her that year. Lorraine had to travel three miles along the roads to High School every day, the use of this wheelchair made it possible for her to regain some independance. Her younger sister often road along on a bike, with her hand resting on the back of the wheelchair.
The polio epidemics changed not only the lives of those who survived them, but also grassroots fund-raising affected profound cultural changes, by raising awareness about the disease. Organization estimates that there are 10 to 20 million polio survivors worldwide who had been paralyzed, 12,000 of those reside in Australia.
BY SHA HAKER
S3126012
In February 1942, an invasion of the Australian continent appeared imminent. Just ten weeks after Japan’s whirlwind invasion of Sout-East Asia, Australia itself became the target of air and sea attacks. Attacks on Australia continued into 1943 and it was until September that year that Prime Minster John Curtin finally announced to his cabinet that the danger of invasion had passed. There was still victory to be won, but that was elsewhere and Australia was no longer threatened. It was during this period of Australian History that this piece of domestic technology was constructed. This explains the use of recycled goods in the manufacture of this product, in times of war enginuity as well as resources are stretched and so we are left with these more excentric inventions.
The wheelchair was used for 39 years from 1943 untill 1982. It was used solely in Albert park and Oakleigh, Victoria. The wheelchair has been changed several times, originally the handle was black and wooden. The tyres have been re-placed many times, the seat was originally sprung with coil springs and canvas and the back of the
chair has been shortend to it’s current state. The entire chair is wooden.There is also a small rectangular shelf located behind the seat to cart small personal items.
The wheelchair is propelled by the movement of a handle rotated by the passanger’s right hand. The handle on the right is linked to the right wheel with a bicycle chain to provide forward motion. There is a second handle on the left hand side which steers the chair as well as allowing brakeing power.
The wheelchair belonged to Lorraine Simpson, who caught polio in December 1937 aged 7. Polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease which is spread from person to person via the fecal oral route. In about 1% of cases the virus enters the central nervous system via the bloodstream. The polio virus preferentially infects and destroys motor neurons, and causes muscle weakness.
Lorraine spent several years in hospitals. She lived in the Mallee, and was sent to Bendigo Base Hospital for treatment when she contracted the virus.
In 1940 her family moved to Melbourne. Until 1941 Lorraine stayed in Frankston Orthopaedic Hospital. When the children’s hospital was evacuated, her mother decided that she wanted her daughter at home.
The chair was made in 1943 by an invalid in Burnley who made this wheelchair from old and disused bicycle parts. The fact that he himself was disabled leads us to believe that he had a more intimate knowledge of what it is to be restrained and is perhaps why he created this once off piece.
Lorraine’s grandmother purchased it for her that year. Lorraine had to travel three miles along the roads to High School every day, the use of this wheelchair made it possible for her to regain some independance. Her younger sister often road along on a bike, with her hand resting on the back of the wheelchair.
The polio epidemics changed not only the lives of those who survived them, but also grassroots fund-raising affected profound cultural changes, by raising awareness about the disease. Organization estimates that there are 10 to 20 million polio survivors worldwide who had been paralyzed, 12,000 of those reside in Australia.
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