Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
ATOUCHOFHUMANITY
HandMade: Three Quilts
John S. Taras, MDEARLY IN MY CAREER, I TREATED an Amishfarmer from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, whohad amputated 3 digits. After successful digi-
tal replantation, the farmer noted that his communitydid not carry medical insurance and he had limitedfinancial resources. Would I accept handmade quiltsas payment? I agreed, and the women of his com-munity held a quilting bee to produce 3 quilts (Figs.1–3), one for each digit replanted.
The Amish community has traditionally eschewedthe decorative arts as thought to be without practicalfunction. The tradition of quilt making is an exception,given that the bed covering serves a purpose.
Two of the quilts feature a common star patternof the Lancaster quilters that is considered a re-
From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand Surgery; Jefferson Medical Col-lege of Thomas Jefferson University; and Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
Received for publication February 2, 2012; accepted in revised form February 6, 2012.
No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to thesubject of this article.
Corresponding author: John S. Taras, MD, The Philadelphia Hand Center PC, 834 ChestnutStreet, Suite G-114, Philadelphia, PA 19107; e-mail: [email protected].
0363-5023/12/37A05-0030$36.00/0
FIGURE 1: Handmade Amish quilt.
doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2012.02.011
©
flection of the plain people’s admiration of natureand the night sky. To this day, I find these quiltsthe most rewarding compensation for services ren-
FIGURE 3: Handmade Amish quilt.
FIGURE 2: Handmade Amish quilt.
dered in my career.
ASSH � Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. � 1059
