The dentist helping a koala to walk 牙醫為一隻考拉制作義肢

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學習要點

有關 “improving health（改善健康）” 的詞匯

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What did the dentist make to help the koala walk?

文字稿

It’s an unlikely story – but an Australian dentist has made the world’s first prosthetic foot for a koala.

這是一個難以置信的故事：一位澳大利亞牙醫制作瞭世界上首個給考拉用的義肢。

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist
My name’s Jon Doulman – and I’m a prosthetist, I make dentures – so it was just a matter of bending the rules a bit I suppose.

喬恩·杜爾曼牙科修復師
“我是喬恩·杜爾曼，是一名修復師，我制作假牙。從制作假牙到制作義肢，我想這隻是一個需要稍加變通的問題。”

This is Triumph – Jon’s first animal patient. He’s a rescue koala who was born without a foot.

這是考拉 “勝利”，它是喬恩的第一位動物病人。它是一隻獲救的考拉，生下來就少長瞭一隻爪子。

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse
Because he didn’t have a foot, he limped and he wouldn’t put pressure on it. He had difficulty in climbing. He could not jump, and of course, he walked a lot slower.

馬莉·克裡斯蒂安動物護理員
“由於它少一隻爪子，所以走路是跛著的，它不在那條腿上施加壓力。它爬行困難。它跳不起來，當然，走路也比正常考拉慢得多。”

Marley wanted to help Triumph with his mobility. But when initial attempts to make a prosthetic failed, she ended up going down a less conventional route.

馬莉想幫助考拉勝利改善它的行動能力。但在最初幾次制作義肢的嘗試失敗之後，她最終另辟蹊徑。

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse
I was speaking to our local dentist, Jon, and he wanted to have a look. I thought, hmm, OK!

馬莉·克裡斯蒂安動物護理員
“當時，我和我們當地的牙醫喬恩說瞭這件事，他想看一看。我想，那好吧！”

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist
I realised that he was in trouble. Just watching him walk around, holding his leg in the air. The fact that his leg bone almost protrudes through the bottom, so he’s standing on it, and I thought there’s nothing to lose – I should have a go at [helping] him.

喬恩·杜爾曼牙科修復師
“我意識到它的處境艱難。看著它四處走動，一條腿懸在空中的樣子，就能明白它的處境。它的腿骨幾乎從底部伸瞭出來，因此它是站在腿骨上的，我想已經沒什麼好怕的瞭，我應該試著幫幫它。”

So, Jon made a model of Triumph’s leg and got to work looking for a solution.

就這樣，喬恩為考拉勝利的腿制作瞭一個模型，並開始尋找解決辦法。

Jon Doulman, Dental Prosthetist
I came up with the idea of making a boot out of this dental material. And luckily, he has, almost has, a little ankle here – which means that this thing can slip over it and we can Velcro at the top, which is what’s holding it on. And then it was just a matter of giving him some tread pattern so he could grip.

喬恩·杜爾曼牙科修復師
“我想出瞭用這種牙科材料制作靴子的主意。幸運的是，它在這個部位有一個小腳踝，這意味著這個東西可以套上去，我們可以在頂部用一個尼龍搭扣固定。剩下的就是給鞋底加點花紋防滑。”

Luckily, Triumph took to the new boot immediately.

幸運的是，考拉勝利立刻就適應瞭這隻新靴子。

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse
So since I put it on him, he actually did this little jump – started running around, so… yeah, he reacted really, really well. He seems like, I don’t know, he was reborn again, he was just rejuvenated. I have to say that I cried because it was just such a great moment.

馬莉·克裡斯蒂安動物護理員
“自從我給它穿上靴子之後，它就跳瞭一下，開始跑來跑去，它的反應真的很好。它就像重獲新生瞭一樣，恢復瞭活力。不得不承認，當時我哭瞭，因為那真是一個很美妙的時刻。”

Now Jon’s working on a new version – improving the boot design.

現在，喬恩正在研制一個新版本，以改進靴子的設計。

Marley Christian, Vet Nurse
Amazing! Amazing that it could be done. And it just gives him a better quality of life – because he’s going to be in captivity for the rest of his life.

馬莉·克裡斯蒂安動物護理員
“太棒瞭！這件事情能夠成功，真是太棒瞭。這個靴子還提高瞭它的生活質量，因為它一生都將活在飼養環境中。”