Philip R. Brachman, DPM, was a Professor of Orthopedics at the College of Chiropody and Pedic Surgery in Chicago. He was instrumental in forming the American College of Foot Orthopedists in 1949 with collegues. Dr Brachman later took up the presidency of Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine in 1971. Upon his retirement as president of the college in 1978, he was a lead voice in changing the name of the institution to Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in 1981.
Dr Brachman was also the podiatrist at the Children’s Rehabilitation Center of Mercy Hospital, where he specialized in the gait of children with cerebral palsy. This led him to invent an ambulatory splint, known as the Brachman Skate to help the gait of these children. He was awarded a patent for this device in 1946. He was also awarded a patent in 1951 (filed in 1949), for a “Pad for treating corns and the like“:
Claims:
This invention relates to pads for treating corns, bunions and similar sensitive areas on human toes and for protecting the afflicted areas from pressure and rubbing by or against the shoe or, as the case may be, an adjacent toe, such pads being hereinafter sometimes referred to as corn pads.
An object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved pad of such construction that a simple manipulation of the pad will adapt it to be applied to an ailiicted toe and removably to secure itself in place without necessitating the use of an adhesive or bandage and that, properly applied, will include a spacer portion extending from adjacent one side of the afflicted area in a direction away from that area to space such contacting surfaces as the adjacent toe or, as the case may be, shoe portion therefrom and another spacer portion at the opposite side of the afflicted toe extending in the opposite direction tending to counteract the force, sometimes deforming, exerted on the toe as a result of the growth of a corn and shielding against corn inducing pressures that portion of the opposite side of the afflicted toe and the adjacent toe, if any, where a corn is likely to grow, during the treatment of the corn at the other side of the toe.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such a novel pad which, when applied to an afilicted toe, will protect the corn against painful pressure and rubbing by or against an adjacent toe or, as the case may be, shoe portion without covering or surrounding the corn with material which has hitherto been intended to shield against or to absorb the annoying pressure or rubbing, but which in use sometimes, due possibly to packing under the pressure, causes irritation of one or both of the afllicted and adjacent toes and does not relieve the pressure or rubbing at the side of the toe opposite that afflicted with the corn.
Dr Brachman also operated a foot orthotic lab, Dr. Brachman Laboratories, Inc that manufactured metal Whitman Braces and other metal braces made to casts in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.
Books by Philip R. Brachman:
Shoe Therapy, a Scientific Guide for Shoe Fitting and Shoe Corrections
Mechanical Foot Therapy
Foot Orthopedics
Foot Therapy for Children
Podiatric Orthopedics: Principles and Practices
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