The earliest indication of wheelchairs comes from pictures of wheeled chariots in China around 1300 B. C. The first wheeled vehicles used to transport the disabled were wheelbarrows. Individuals with illnesses were loaded into the wheelbarrows and taken to the “Fountain of Youth.” Royalty, such as King Phillip II of Spain, also employed the chairs; however, they used the vehicles for comfort rather than necessity. In 1655 a 22-year-old paraplegic watchmaker developed his own wheeled chair to increase his mobility. The first modern wheelchair was invented in 1783 by John Dawson, and was met with great success. Changes in the design came about with the invention of the automobile. Consumers demanded a lightweight, collapsible chair that could be loaded in a car.