Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk- A Man Without a Pinky

         In this story, the poor soldier did not know where his confidence would lead him when boasting about a fine and trustee lighter. Thankfully, the wife stepped in before her husband could take a whack at the soldier's little finger and add another victim to his list. Had the wife not stepped in, the soldier might have lost the finger. Although it is called the "baby finger", its' job is large and mighty.
         The pinky finger is a key player in gripping. Every finger is involved in gripping but the pinky finger has the greatest range of motion in the aspect of flexion. Each finger converges toward the scaphoid as they flex into a fist, allowing for a firmer grip. A task that requires gripping that would become difficult for the soldier is pouring a bottle of milk. Considering the time period of this story, 1948, we know that milk at that time was delivered in glass bottles. Milk in the 1940s was not purchased in gallons and cartons that we know today. The soldier might have enjoyed a cold glass of milk or a bowl of cereal, and without a pinky finger, this treat would be difficult. The type of grip necessary for is a cylindrical grip. During prehension, the soldier would open the hand and position his fingers and thumb around the milk bottle. This initial grip would not be firm and the action of pouring a heavy and full jug by pronation would be unstable because of the grip.
         The soldier could modify this task of pouring milk by adding pumps to the bottle. You can picture the mechanics of this pump by thinking about pumping sauce or ketchup from a container at a fast food restaurant or soap from a bottle of sanitizer. By adding a pump, he could use one hand to stabilize the bottle and push down on the pump with the other hand. Pushing down on a pump would not require gripping and allow him to easily transfer milk to a bowl for cereal. Don't cry over spilled milk, Mr. Soldier. With modifications and OT think, there is a way!