Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-18
LOLITA ARMOUR'S WEDDING
RECALLS FIGHT FOR HEALTH
Born CRIPPLE Reared in Incubator, Then Reconstructed by
DR.. Lorens's "Bloodess Surgery Treatment

Chicago, June 1S.---Miss Lolita Ar
mour, daughter Of J. Ogden Armour,
multi millionaire. today becomes the
bride of John J. Mitchell. Jr., army
aviator and son of the president of the
Illinois Trust and Savings Bank, one
Of .Chicagos wenlthicst citizens.
Nearly two decades have passed since
little Miss Lolita Armour held the at
tcntion of the public Of two hemispheres.
Not merely as "the wealthiest hefress in
tbe world" was the poor little rich
o;rl." in the literal sense, an object OF
svmpathetic interest, but she typified
eiso s triumph in what at the time was
designated as "bloodless surgery" ond
was looked upon as marvel Of physi-
cal reconstruction.
Born in the closing years of the nine.
teenth century. Lolita came into the
world weighing slightly more than three
pounds. The Incubator, for the care
81 prematurely born children had just
been invented and it was largely due to
this that the baby lived, doctors said.
II was then discovered that the bones
of both her hips were dislocated, the
thinh bones failing to reach their soet
cts, so that the child's legs dangled
helplessly.
When she was three years old. DR..
John Ridlon was called to perform an
operation. For five months the frnil
little body was kept in n plaster cast.
but when this was removed it was
found that only one of the hips had
healed properly.
In 1902 the fame of a viennese
pbysician, DIR. Adolf Lorenz, who had
nerfected "bloodess method of
curing congenital hip disease, hat
reached America. DR.. Lorenz was
brought twice to America, and was
said to have been paid fees Of S100,000
by Mr.. Armour for treatment Of his
daughter Lolita. BY manipulation DR..
Lorenz tore the ligaments and muscles,
and forced the thigh bone into the
socket. Then for many more months
the leg and hip were encased in plaster.
Six months after the initial opera
ton DR.. Lorenz. who had gone back Ia
Vienna, returned to remove the cast
and learn the result. Unqualified sue
cess had been obtained, for as soon as
the plaster had been removed the child
WAS able to take n few halting steps
unassisted for the first time in her life.
For several more years the girl had
a rather noticeable limp. but gradually
as the unaccustomcd muscles rcgained
their normal freedom of play even this
disappeared.
She became a dcvotee Of outdoor
sports, a graceful dancer and developed
strength and athletic skill that de.
lighted her parents and made her 4
great favorlte in the social circles in
which she mingled In addition to her
athletic accomplishments, the young
heiress became splendid cquestrienne.
She has exhibited her horses at nearly
every Chicago Horse Show that has
been held since she was child and
has won number OfsribbOns.
Miss Armour has taken a prominent
part In charitable work in Chicago
In 1917 the "most democratic girl ir
the Windy City" as she became
known. was appointed q director II
| the Armour Institute of Technology
which was founded by her grandfather
and supported by her father.
At the time she was the only woman
In the country, except for her mother
who held college trusteeship. al
though she has not college degrc
herself. She was educated largely b.
private tutors and private school II
Connecticut.
Active in War Relief
During the war she was active |
Red Cross work and conducted foo
shop for the benefit of the people G
devastated France.
Before the United States entered tn
war and while the National Guard wa
pntroling the Mexican border Miss Ar
mour took course of war nursing a
St. Joseph's Hospital. She was on
of group of twenty five from thi
class who volunteered their services II
nurses on the Rio Grande.
Later she spent two months in wa