Modifications

Never having known the use of arms and hands, Aaron Smith adapted himself to conditions as he found them. He learned to use his feet for hands early on. “When he was a little fellow people for miles around went to the Smith home to see the wonderful baby that could feed itself with his feet,” according to one newspaper. While he later allowed himself to be fed in public, his continued use of his limbs kept him flexible so that he continued to care for himself in ambitious ways as an adult.

He was always eager to embrace technologies of his time and adopt them for his purposes.

His office had two receivers for his telephone, one that was typical for his day and another one attached to the desk. When the telephone rang, he would lift the receiver from the hook on the first phone with his teeth and listen through the one that was fastened to his desk.

At his home he had the electric light switches placed close to the floor so that he could manipulate them with his feet.