Leprosy clacker

[Edward MacTavish]

Anyone know what a Leprosy noise maker would look like?

Edward

[Pietro da San Tebaldo]

Picture a table-tennis paddle carved from wood, with a head about the size of the palm of your hand. At the junction of the paddle and handle, drill a pair of holes through which you draw a string which forms the hinge between the paddle and a second wooden disc about the same size. Tie the hinge loosely enough that the second disc has some play. With a flick of the wrist, it makes a fairly emphatic "clack" noise.

I had a picture in my files, but the computer's down at the knackers, so my entire collective memory of images, comics strips and kewl resaerch bits is hanging in the balance... Pray for the old beast!

[Hew]

See photos of a sculpture, on http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/articleren ... id=1036845

Here's a 17thC one:
http://www.ingenious.org.uk/See/Medicin ... wby=images

A modern illustration:
http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/image/?image_id=68368

And here: http://www2.kenyon.edu/Projects/Margin/lepfacts.htm

This one looks different though, being bent at an angle -

[edit]
Unless it's one of those ratchet noisemakers:

[Edward MacTavish]

Thanks, that will work.

Edward