復健、輔具與臺灣小兒麻痺病患生活經驗（1950s～1970s）

Rehabilitation, Assistive Devices and Life Experience of Poliomyelitis Patients in Taiwan (1950s-1970s)

小兒麻痺症是1950－1960年代臺灣常見的傳染病，少數患者肢體麻痺，造成終身殘障的遺憾。對小兒麻痺患者的關注始於教會醫院，他們透過外國教會體系取得疫苗，建立小兒麻痺復健中心，甚至自行成立支架工廠。另外，以小兒麻痺復健為重心的振興復健醫學中心，則是由蔣宋美齡運用與美方良好的互動關係，成功獲得外援的補助，讓振興復健醫學中心成為國內首屈一指的復健重鎮。本文以1950－1970年代為研究區間，因臺灣政府於1966年推行小兒麻痺預防接種後，該疾病迅速得到控制，新感染人數急速減少。絕大部分的患者是在1950－1960年代之間感染，並於1960－1970年代開始復健並使用輔具，此時也正是臺灣復健醫學的草創時期。本文首先簡介臺灣小兒麻痺的流行狀況，及政府的相關防治措施；其次探討因應小兒麻痺患者的需求，而開始在臺灣出現的復健醫學與支架工廠，包括教會醫院、國立臺灣大學醫學院附設醫院及振興復健醫學中心。除了述及其成立經過，復健醫學專業的建立，並關注不同院所經營理念與方式的差異。最後，以病患（使用者）的角度出發，呈現患者如何感受此疾病，及復健和輔具對病患的意義。

Poliomyelitis was an infectious disease prevalent in Taiwan throughout 1950s and 1960s. Even after recovery, a small number of patients suffered from permanent disability. Concern for poliomyelitis patients began first from church hospitals. Under the assistance of overseas church organizations, vaccine for poliomyelitis was obtained, rehabilitation centers were founded, and factories for manufacturing assistive devices were established. In addition, through her good interaction and relationship with the US, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek gained foreign aid and support for Cheng Hsin General Hospital, a hospital dedicated to poliomyelitis research, which later become the leading rehabilitation center for poliomyelitis patients in Taiwan. The period studied in this research spanned from 1950s to 1970s, during which there was a rapid decline in number of new infections following the promotion of polio vaccination by the Taiwan government in 1966. This very era also witnessed the dawn of rehabilitation medicine in Taiwan when poliomyelitis patients infected during 1950s-1960s began receiving therapy and started using assistive devices. This paper first describes the prevalence of poliomyelitis in Taiwan and the preventive measures introduced by the government. Then it explores the emergence of rehabilitation medicine and the setting up of factories for manufacturing assistive devices, which were meant to meet the needs of poliomyelitis patients. Moreover, the establishment of church hospitals, National Taiwan University Hospital, and Cheng Hsin General Hospital for poliomyelitis patients is also examined with emphasis on their history of development as well as similarities and differences in operation and administration. Finally, from the perspective of the patients/users, how they feel about having poliomyelitis and what rehabilitation and assistive devices mean to them are also reviewed.