concept

Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by the hunt. Photograph, 192-.

A courtyard open to the air, containing beds for patients
The institution, at Windmill Road Oxford OX3 7LD, has been the Wingfield Convalescent Home (1872-1920); Wingfield Orthopaedic Hospital (1920-1930); Wingfield-Morris Orthopaedic Hospital (1931-1955); Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (from 1955)

1 photograph : photoprint ; sheet 29 x 36.6 cm

Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. Photograph, 1930.

A moving and informative film which looks at the life of Brett Nielson, a boy born affected by the drug thalidomide. Brett was born without arms and the film shows touching and personal scenes from his home life - rough and tumble with his brothers, meal times and other practical activities, all of which reveal both his extraordinary dexterity with his feet and his determination. Moments of voiceover narration from Brett's mother reveal her strong insight into all the problems Brett faces in his life ahead as well as her admiration for how hard he tries to be able to do everyday tasks - we see him washing up deftly using his feet. She describes how family life has been affected by having Brett and how hurtful people's comments can be - both to her as a mother who took thalidomide and in relation to Brett's physical appearance. Other scenes include a visit by the Nielson family to the Nuffield Hospital where Brett is fitted with a gas powered prosthetic arm of the Heidelberg variety - in one scene this is demonstrated by Professor Trueta. Back at home, however, Brett displays marked resentment towards having to use the prosthetic arm as he is much happier using his feet. An early meeting of the Thalidomide Society is shown, set up by parents to compare experiences and attempt to secure a good future for their children. We see Brett visit a primary school where teachers encourage the children there to accept him - the children are fascinated to see how well Brett paints using his feet. There is a detailed demonstration of a new prosthetic arm, the Russian arm, and the Neilsons visit the Lady Hoare Experimental Workshop at Chailey Heritage Craft School and Hospital in Sussex where they meet David Bickers, born without arms and legs, during an occupational therapy session. Brett is encouraged to see how difficult it is for children with even greater disabilities than his own. The family also visit J.E. Hanger & Co., then the UK's top limb-making factory where one third of the employees have limb deficiencies themselves. In the final voiceover narration, the family are encouraged to see the future for Brett, and other children like him, as being inextricably bound up with technological developments.

1 film reel (30 min.) : sound, black and white, 16mm.

One of them is Brett.

The film opens as a soldier is shown eating and smoking a cigarette, wearing a prosthetic right arm known as the Russian arm. He describes how it has changed his life. Voiceover narration describes how new prostheses are helping those with missing limbs, particularly the upper limbs and a mechanic demonstrates how the Russian arm works. We see inside the workshop at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, where prosthetic limbs are made. Professor Trueta describes what the new limb production is likely to mean for the future, particularly for children born without arms and / or legs as a result of the drug thalidomide. At the Mary Marlborough Lodge, Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital, children born with no arms and legs as a result of the drug thalidomide are shown being fitted with artificial arms. A reluctant little girl is strapped into a heavy corset which holds two Heidelberg Arms, a form of gas operated prosthesis which is very heavy and cumbersome. She tries to perform some simple tasks wearing it, including playing a small wooden toy piano but she protests repeatedly. An older boy is shown eating using prosthetic arms; he is very proficient. Trueta speaks again and talks about the future of children affected by thalidomide in the light of new technologies to come. He speaks very optimistically about the use of prosthetic limbs, particularly electronic prosthetic limbs. The film ends with a shot of the thalidomide girl outdoors in a specially designed swing.

New World.

The New World

The Russian arm.

A series of studies of patients with intertitles relating to the provision of prosthetic limbs for children born without arms and legs. The first child (a mixed race boy of about 2 or 3) with foreshortened legs and blind in one eye has gas-powered arms and legs. Six months later he is shown with a slightly different prosthetic configuration and more developed dexterity. He demonstrates how to use a 'floating spoon'. The next patient has no upper limbs and foreshortened lower limbs. She is a bit older (5 or 6) and is shown playing a fishing game, then with a toy broom, using scissors and feeding herself with the floating spoon. She plays at washing up. An armless boy of 18 months is shown. He is shown from the front and the rear. He is shown with a 'walking aid' (a type of door bouncer). He is encouraged to use his feet. A prosthetic 'kit' - gas powered arms is demonstrated by a nurse. This is then shown used by the 18 month old toddler with no upper limbs; he cheerfully picks up bricks and places them in a bowl. An older boy with foreshortened arms uses a similar contraption. In fact even with his foreshortened arms he plays with a bucket and spade in a sand pit. With the benefit of a sign for Chailey Heritage Craft School and Hospital a number of toddlers are shown firstly without and then with prosthetic aids. A nursery with active, limb-deficient toddlers playing is seen. Outside, older children/teenagers walk around demonstrating their prosthetic legs. A young woman and then a young man walk around. Another boy demonstrates how he can quickly remove his socks and shoes - and then put them on again. Another woman demonstrates her walking abilities. A different young woman (Louise Medus-Mansell) is shown walking. One of the young women previously seen with prostheic limbs goes past in a wheel chair. The boy who demonstrated removing his socks and shoes rides a specially adapted 'Chopper' style bicycle. There are informal scenes of children in wheel chairs around the hospital gardens and playground. Then there is further footage of a boy demonstrating buttoning his shirt and tying laces without prosthetic aids; he has no hands or fingers. He also demonstrates skill in removing his shoes and socks and then putting them back on again. Another boy shows how he can tie knots with his feet, use a rope as a lasso and comb his hair with his feet. An older boy of 12 with foreshortened arms and legs shows his dexterity; the intertitle indicates that he is 'fully independent'. He reads a comic ('Lion'). He also draws with skill. The same boy plays a game of cricket with two other limb-deficient children.

2 DVDs (41:14 min. each) : silent, colour 1 videocassette (DIGIBETA) (41:14 min.) : silent, colour

Prosthetic limbs. Children.

A verandah open to the air, containing beds for patients, visited by a mounted huntsman and his hounds
The institution, at Windmill Road Oxford OX3 7LD, has been the Wingfield Convalescent Home (1872-1920); Wingfield Orthopaedic Hospital (1920-1930); Wingfield-Morris Orthopaedic Hospital (1931-1955); Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (from 1955)

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Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. Photograph, 1930.

One of them is Brett.

The Russian arm.

Prosthetic limbs. Children.

Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by the hunt. Photograph, 192-.

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Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

Images

Catalogue

Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood. Photograph, 1930.

One of them is Brett.

The Russian arm.

Prosthetic limbs. Children.

Wingfield Hospital, Headington, Oxfordshire: patients receiving open air treatment are visited by the hunt. Photograph, 192-.

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