Invalid chair, Europe, 1850-1890
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Unlike modern wheelchairs that have four wheels, this chair has three: two large front wheels and one small rear wheel. This means the patient was unable to wheel the chair themselves. They would have had an assistant. The chair is heavy so presumably they would not have gone very far or very fast. This elaborately carved chair dates from the late 1800s. It is made of wood with a sprung padded seat. It was donated to the Wellcome Collections by Liverpool Royal infirmary in 1928.
Object number:
A73063
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: orthopaedics
The branch of medicine concerned with the preservation and restoration of the muscular and skeletal systems in the body.
Glossary: wheelchair
No description.
Glossary: invalid chair
No description.