The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-19
OPERATION On
ARMOUR CHILD
Congenita Hip Di8Iocation and
the Lorenz Method.
DONE BY MANIPULATION
Little LoIita's Lite at First
Saved by the Incubator
DONE BY MANIPULATION

Millions of people will watch with sym
pathy during the next few months the
outcome of a remarkable battle MADE by
wealth and science for the life and restor-
alton Of health of pretty little Lolita Ar
r-our. the most famous incubator baby
sn the world, and heiress TO S2o,OOo,OOo
Lolita is six years old and is the only
child Of MIR. and Mrs. J. ogden Armour,
OF Chicago. Since the day OF her birth
science. brought to her aid at the com
1rand of her father, who counts no expen
Giture extravagant if it holds out the
promise of her Improvement, has been
enlisted in the effort to give her health
end strength.
The extremely serious nature of the
latest development of her affliction has
LED Mr. Armour to summon Prof. Adolf
Lorenz and DR.. Frederick Mueller, the
former Of the University of Berlin and
the most skilled expert on deformities
O. the bones that ever lived. They have
sailed for America on a journey of nearly
l0,0yJ miles and performed an oper-
alton which, it is hoped, will make little
Lolita Armour os vigorous and healthy a
baby as any child her age in the land.
1t Is estimated that this one operation
will cost Mr.. Armour between $4,000 and
100000.
This win be the second operation per-
formed on the famous grandchild of the
late Philip D. Armour.
Lolita was born in August, 1896. At her
birth the little girl was so frail and deli.
cate that it was decided Immediately that
she could i've only under the most fav-
orable circumstances.
An incubator was secured, and for sew
eral weeks the baby, weighing at first.
less than three pounds, was cared for
under the remarkable new system in
vented just two years before her birth
for bringing prematurely born infants to
u state where they can battle with the
ordinary conditions of life.
In the incubator and under the ex-
tremely careful nursing that little Lolita
got during these first anxious. critical
weeks she began 20 grow and finally TO
thrive. Two skilled nurses were con-
stantly in attendance.
When ner fun term of confinement in
the strange modern foster-nother of iron
and glass was completed and the baby
vas pronounced able to stand the effects
OF the varying temperatures and atmos-
1heric conditions of a room. she was a
healthy looking child, seemingly without
q flaw.
1t was soon noticed, however. that she
.ever tried TO stand on her feet like other
babies, but. on the contrary, screamed
with pain whenever her weight was
thrown on them. The doctors were puz-
zled, but hoped that 1t was merely a
baby weakness that she would shortly
outgrow.
When Lolita was two years old X-ray
photographs were taken by the troubled
physicians Of her pain-raciked little body,
and then the cause of her trouble was
revealed. There was dislocation Of the
hone Of the legs. The femurs. or thigh
homes fell short considerable distance
of the sockets in the pelvic bone, where
they should set.
The famous surgeon, DR.. John Ridlon
was called in and for six months he
studied every phase of the peculiar case.
At the end of that time he announced
that he would perform an operation. This
he did on New Years eve two years ago.
The patient was given an anaesthetic
and the bones were forced into perfect
articulation.
Then the frail bone was incased in a
mould of plaster of paris. which was to
remain on for five or six months.
The operation IS a most delicate one.
The thigh was opened and the femur
was stretched until the ball joint came
into its proper place Then all was set
in the unmovable plaster
The little patient bore the operation
we'll and oeer11a7 ~ roalra GOOD ,,ror--,,--
in February X-ray photographs were
again taken Of the bony structure in the
lower part Of the body. They showed that
that bones had remained in their proper
positions and that the sfnews were grad
rally becoming accustomed to the strain
OF the new position and were being
strengthened by nature. The doctors
and Mr.. and Mrs. Armour were delighted
and it was thought that before that sum
mer was over Lolita would be restored TO
health
The operation, however. proved disap-
pointing. and Il was soon evident that
only one leg had yielded properly to the
treatment
This summer Mr.. Armour went abroad
in the hope of learning something more
that might help him 10 fulfil his hope OF
curing the child
In Vienna he found Prof. Lorenz. who
said lie believed ne could effect a cure.
Prof. Lorenz has treated many similar
cases in Europe. and is known as the
most successful surgeon in these strange
cases of congenitaly defective aticula-
ton In the world.
AS reselt Of negotiations with Nj.
Armour this noted sDecialfs+ aud n
Frederick Mueller who is OF almost equal
rank as specialist in affections Of this
nature. sailed for America.
Mrs. Armour. mother OF little Lolita
vas AIRS. Lolita sheldon. a native q
Sufield. Conn. but AT the time Of MI.
Armour's courtship a resident Of New
York. She IS Of old Spanish stock and
IS beautiful brunette Of the Castilian
type. with jet black hair dark ewes and
regular, almost classical. features. The
little Lolita promises 20 he strikingly
like her mother. for she has her dark
hair and eyes.
The marriage Of Jonathan Ogden Ar
rour and the lovely Connecticut girl was
The climax Of very pretty romance.
Miss Sheldon was but eighteen al the
time and had been but a short time out
o. school. she met Mr.. Armour while
or q visit 20 friends in Chicago. II was
case ofslove II first sight. and three
weeks after the meeting the enga Eer emit
vas announced In but a few months
they We're married quietly at the Muir
ray Hi Hotel in New York
Philip D. Armour. Jr having died be-
fore his famous father. ]. Ogden was
int,