Late sequelae of amputation. The health of Finnish amputated war veterans.

EDITOR'S N O T E : This report, reprinted by permission of the editor and authors from Annales Chirurgiae et Gynaecologiae Fenniae, Vol. 54, Supplement 138, 1965, is from the Kaskisaari Rehabilitation Centre and the Institute for Occupa­ tional Health in Helsinki, Finland. Because of its length, it will be published in two parts. Col. Barbara R. Friz of the Committee on Prosthetic and Orthotic Education, National Academy of Science-National Research Council, has given the Journal the following comments on the article: "An unusual opportunity to study the late effects of amputation on a large sampling of World War II veterans in Finland was provided by a situation in which the amputees were available as subjects for a period of three weeks. By taking advantage of this opportunity, a team of investigators was able to conduct an extensive study and. subsequently, to report an impressive list of findings which contribute significantly to the store of knowledge in this area. The in­ vestigators apparently used every possible measure, including a large control series, to ensure the reliability of the findings.