Not elder law: leather toe is world’s oldest prosthesis

An artificial big toe attached to the foot of anancient Egyptian mummy could prove to be the world’s earliestfunctional prosthetic body part, say scientists.Research at the University ofManchester is hoping to prove that the wood and leather artefact in theCairo Museum not only looked the part but also helped its owner walk’like an Egyptian’.If true, the toe will predate what iscurrently considered to be the earliest known practical prosthesis – anartificial leg from 300BC – by several hundred years.  JackyFinch, who is carrying out the study at Manchester’s KNH Centre forBiomedical Egyptology, is recruiting volunteers whose right big toe hasbeen lost in order to test an exact replica of the artificial toe.

Read more about this big toe story at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070727084801.htm