Fritz E. STRUEMPLER, Jr., Appellant, v. Otis R. BOWEN, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Appellee

ARNOLD, Circuit Judge.

Fritz Struempler is a 57-year-old farmer from Mason City, Nebraska. In 1984 he applied for social-security benefits on account of an injury to his left shoulder which greatly restricted his use of that limb. His use of his right arm is also restricted because of a corn-picker accident many years ago in which he lost all the fingers on his right hand. He writes only with great difficulty. His application for disability benefits was initially denied on the ground that after surgery he would recover sufficient use of his left arm to return to farming. His request for…