I know nothing about these people. They're mostly from a private collection sourced from flea markets and whatnot, most are tintypes so based on the medium and clothing, probably 1860s-1900.
(that's a crutch she's got in her hand, it's hard to see the underarm part because it blends with her bodice)
early wheelchairs are really cool
Here's one that was homemade out of a rocking chair and modified wagon wheels. There were commercially made ones as well but this is just so cool.
1901, handsome fella with a sweet prosthetic.
Takeaway point: disabled people were always part of the landscape, especially after the Civil War when people were getting their limbs amputated left and right. People saw their mobility aids both as a sign of bravely struggling through something and as an extension of their bodies so when they had their photos made, they often included them. It's kind of a neat little piece of material culture you don't really think of.
Not the same era obviously, these are the kids who posed for the March of Dimes posters during the polio epidemic, but I love this photo a lot because it's like a flashing neon sign that says "VACCINATE YOUR GODDAMNED KIDS."
And this one is just funny. 1955 at a children's hospital.
Bonus sperg: there's a lot of evidence that the first corsets were actually early back braces for things like scoliosis, and even into the late Victorian there were corsets that functioned solely as orthopedics or posture correctors and not shapewear
(1600s)
They also made maternity corsets that functioned basically as bras before bras were invented.
And nursing corsets.
