The warders, of course, made use of sticks and whips to ensure compliance. However, if they wanted to break a mentally strong prisoner, they used fetters. One form was a crossbar fetter, which involved an iron bar between the ankles that held the legs apart. The prisoner would then have to walk, sleep and do his tasks with his legs stretched apart. Another form was an iron bar that hung from the waist and was riveted to the prisoner’s feet. This prevented the prisoner from bending his leg. In both cases, the prisoner would be left in fetters for months and, after a while, would find it painful
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