For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Friday, July 10, 2009
1998: Abortion at hospital proves fatal
Virginia Wolfe, age 33, was pronounced dead at Methodist Women's and Children's Hospital on July 10, 1998. She had been in the hospital since July 6, when she'd gone there to have an abortion performed by Dr. Lillian Jones. Jones performed a suction abortion. During the procedure, she punctured Virginia's uterus and bladder. Virginia suffered massive hemorrhage, losing so much blood that her heart stopped. Doctors repaired her bladder and removed her uterus, but Virginia's brain had already been damaged by the lack of oxygen.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
1934: Mystery abortion kills frat boy's sweetheart
In 1934, pretty Marian Mills, a beauty queen, was the 19-year-old "campus sweetheart" of Neal Myers. Myers, a 21-year-old pharmacy student, was the son of Dr. P.B. Myers of Denver.
On July 10, Marian died in the apartment of Mrs. Hazel Brown, the cook for Myers' fraternity house and "the only person of mature age in the house during the 24 tragic hours preceding the girl's death."
Myers was charged with murder in Marian's death, and could have faced life in prison if convicted.
Dr. Roy Emanuel testified that Myers consulted him about a possible pregnancy but had asked for advise, not for an abortion. Emanuel said that he'd recommended a test to verify the suspected pregnancy, and had also told the young man to consult with his father. "Two or three weeks later he came back ... bringing the report, which showed the girl was not pregnant." Myers had Marian with him, and she said that she wanted an examination, because she didn't think the test was accurate. He did examine her and while he could not definitively say, he didn't think she was pregnant. The couple returned again the Thursday before Marian's death, and this time his examination verified that the girl was pregnant. Again, Emanuel said, he referred the couple to Myers' father.
Mrs. Brown, for her part, said that Myers had loved Marian and had wanted to marry her. He was opposed to the idea of an abortion. Marian, on the other hand, insisted that her parents would never accept Myers. Brown said that Marian had taken "a harmless drug" and that this was the only attempt that she personally knew of to abort the baby.
But evidently Marian had found an abortionist, or had done something herself more drastic than just take mild abortifacients, because doctors who examined her said that some sort of instruments had been used in the abortion that had caused her death.
Myers was supported by Brown, his father, and his fraternity friends during the trial. There were tears of joy in the courtroom when he was acquitted. Marian's father, Professor M. Elbert Mills, "maintained a strict silence."
I have been unable to find if the perpetrator of Marian's fatal abortion was ever identified.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
On July 10, Marian died in the apartment of Mrs. Hazel Brown, the cook for Myers' fraternity house and "the only person of mature age in the house during the 24 tragic hours preceding the girl's death."
Myers was charged with murder in Marian's death, and could have faced life in prison if convicted.
Dr. Roy Emanuel testified that Myers consulted him about a possible pregnancy but had asked for advise, not for an abortion. Emanuel said that he'd recommended a test to verify the suspected pregnancy, and had also told the young man to consult with his father. "Two or three weeks later he came back ... bringing the report, which showed the girl was not pregnant." Myers had Marian with him, and she said that she wanted an examination, because she didn't think the test was accurate. He did examine her and while he could not definitively say, he didn't think she was pregnant. The couple returned again the Thursday before Marian's death, and this time his examination verified that the girl was pregnant. Again, Emanuel said, he referred the couple to Myers' father.
Mrs. Brown, for her part, said that Myers had loved Marian and had wanted to marry her. He was opposed to the idea of an abortion. Marian, on the other hand, insisted that her parents would never accept Myers. Brown said that Marian had taken "a harmless drug" and that this was the only attempt that she personally knew of to abort the baby.
But evidently Marian had found an abortionist, or had done something herself more drastic than just take mild abortifacients, because doctors who examined her said that some sort of instruments had been used in the abortion that had caused her death.
Myers was supported by Brown, his father, and his fraternity friends during the trial. There were tears of joy in the courtroom when he was acquitted. Marian's father, Professor M. Elbert Mills, "maintained a strict silence."
I have been unable to find if the perpetrator of Marian's fatal abortion was ever identified.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Anniversary: Mother of four bleeds to death
Junette Barnes, a 27-year-old mother of four, had a tubal ligation on June 16, 1988.
One week after this operation, she found out that she had been pregnant at the time of the surgery, and was still pregnant. She saw her family physician, Dr. Ted Shields on July 8, 1988, and he performed a safe, legal abortion on her at Surgicare Outpatient Center in Victoria that day.
During the abortion, he perforated her uterus and cut an artery and several veins. Junette was transferred to a hospital, where she died of blood loss during emergency surgery.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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One week after this operation, she found out that she had been pregnant at the time of the surgery, and was still pregnant. She saw her family physician, Dr. Ted Shields on July 8, 1988, and he performed a safe, legal abortion on her at Surgicare Outpatient Center in Victoria that day.
During the abortion, he perforated her uterus and cut an artery and several veins. Junette was transferred to a hospital, where she died of blood loss during emergency surgery.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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1929: Mystery abortion leaves woman dead
On July 8, 1929, 26-year-old Frances Rogers died from a criminal abortion.
The source summary says that the abortion was done in an unknown location, but the description of the offense says that she died at the scene of the crime.
The person responsible was never identified.
Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1920s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
The source summary says that the abortion was done in an unknown location, but the description of the offense says that she died at the scene of the crime.
The person responsible was never identified.
Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1920s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
The Abortion Party
My First Abortion Party
What sticks with me is the "first". He fully expects plenty more abortion parties.
HT: Jivin J via Jill Stanek
What sticks with me is the "first". He fully expects plenty more abortion parties.
HT: Jivin J via Jill Stanek
1982: Fatal abortion at university hospital
On July 2, 1982, Darlene Wood was put under anesthesia for a second trimester abortion at Temple University Hospital. The abortionist was Renga Rajan; the anesthethesiologist was William Stevenson-Smith.
Darlene was given nitrous oxide by face mask. She started coughing after the procedure began. After the abortion was completed, she was admitted to the respiratory intensive care unit, where she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension.
Over the next several days, Darlene experienced increasing respiratory distress. She was given medication to maintain her blood pressure. But on July 7, Darlene went into cardio-respiratory arrest. She was pronounced dead at 2:50 p.m.
The administratrix of Darlene's estate contended that the lack of appropriate medical and anesthetic clearance was a substantial factor in her death.
Rajan was also successfully sued for the 1987 abortion death of Iris Velazquez.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Darlene was given nitrous oxide by face mask. She started coughing after the procedure began. After the abortion was completed, she was admitted to the respiratory intensive care unit, where she was diagnosed with primary pulmonary hypertension.
Over the next several days, Darlene experienced increasing respiratory distress. She was given medication to maintain her blood pressure. But on July 7, Darlene went into cardio-respiratory arrest. She was pronounced dead at 2:50 p.m.
The administratrix of Darlene's estate contended that the lack of appropriate medical and anesthetic clearance was a substantial factor in her death.
Rajan was also successfully sued for the 1987 abortion death of Iris Velazquez.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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Monday, July 06, 2009
1970: Pre-Roe abortion proves fatal
Pearl Schwier, age 42, was 20 weeks pregnant when she sought a safe, legal abortion at St. Luke's hospital in New York City.
She was brought into the operating room on July 6, 1970 for a hysterotomy abortion, which is simply a c-section in which the intention is to allow the baby to die rather than to deliver him or her alive. It was performed under general anesthesia.
About 45 minutes into the procedure, Pearl had a reaction to the anesthesia and died.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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She was brought into the operating room on July 6, 1970 for a hysterotomy abortion, which is simply a c-section in which the intention is to allow the baby to die rather than to deliver him or her alive. It was performed under general anesthesia.
About 45 minutes into the procedure, Pearl had a reaction to the anesthesia and died.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
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1930: Fatal peritonitis from abortion
On July 6, 1930, Mary Tulis, age 34, died in Chicago from complications of an abortion performed that day. She died at the scene of the crime. Marie La Montagne, who lived at the scene, was fingered in the abortion. Dr. O.W. Sommer of Francis Willard Hospital had been brought to the scene by somebody when it became apparent that Mary had peritonitis. Neither Montagne nor Sommer is mentioned in the coroner's verdict.
Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1930s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1930s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Join Jars of Clay in saving lives and caring for those in need
Blood:Water provides HIV education and care, and is striving to dig 1,000 wells to provide clean, safe water.
HT: Values Voter News
And though I couldn't find a proper music video, I figured I could still share my favorite Jars of Clay song:
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Regina Johnson update: Hodari fined for his role in her death
I had previously only been able to estimate when Regina Johnson died, based on a brief cite of a lawsuit filed in 2005. But thanks to Jill Stanek, I have details now on when and how Regina Johnson died.
She was 32 years old and about 5 weeks pregnant when she went to Hodari's Womancare for an abortion. Hodari wasn't present. Click on Regina's name to read the whole story.
And keep in mind that Womancare was considered good enough to be a member of the National Abortion Federation.
She was 32 years old and about 5 weeks pregnant when she went to Hodari's Womancare for an abortion. Hodari wasn't present. Click on Regina's name to read the whole story.
And keep in mind that Womancare was considered good enough to be a member of the National Abortion Federation.
A 19th Century Abortion Death
"The community around Oyster Bay are greatly excited over an abortion case that has been brought to light."
The woman, Miss Bertram, was engaged to a New York man. The wedding was to take place on July 4, 1875. But Miss Bertram became pregnant before the wedding. She purchased an abortifacient which didn't have the effect she desired, so she took some other sort of abortifacient.
This second abortifacient did the job, leading to the birth of a near-term infant, which was buried in a potato patch.
Miss Bertram, however, took ill and died a few days later.
The physician who was attending her declared the cause of death to be the abortion.
Miss Bertram's fiance denied being the father of the dead baby. "There is a suspicion entertained of another young man". Police began an investigation into who he might be, and into who sold Miss Bertram the fatal drugs.
I have no information on overall maternal mortality, or abortion mortality, in the 19th century. I imagine it can't be too much different from maternal and abortion mortality at the very beginning of the 20th Century.
Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good.
For more on this era, see Abortion Deaths in the 19th Century.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
The woman, Miss Bertram, was engaged to a New York man. The wedding was to take place on July 4, 1875. But Miss Bertram became pregnant before the wedding. She purchased an abortifacient which didn't have the effect she desired, so she took some other sort of abortifacient.
This second abortifacient did the job, leading to the birth of a near-term infant, which was buried in a potato patch.
Miss Bertram, however, took ill and died a few days later.
The physician who was attending her declared the cause of death to be the abortion.
Miss Bertram's fiance denied being the father of the dead baby. "There is a suspicion entertained of another young man". Police began an investigation into who he might be, and into who sold Miss Bertram the fatal drugs.
I have no information on overall maternal mortality, or abortion mortality, in the 19th century. I imagine it can't be too much different from maternal and abortion mortality at the very beginning of the 20th Century.
Note, please, that with overall public health issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good.
For more on this era, see Abortion Deaths in the 19th Century.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
Friday, July 03, 2009
In those three days.... What happens to the fetus between killing and expulsion in a late term abortion?
Somg, under his new screen name "Operation Counterstrike" (Isn't he ever so clever?), has been asserting that late term fetuses don't rot during the three days between being killed by lethal injection and being delivered.
In his presentation paper on D&X ("Partial Birth Abortion"), Martin Haskell described first how late D&E abortions were done. Because the fetus was so difficult to dismember, abortionists would kill it on Day 1, so that "autolysis" would "soften" the tissues for dismemberment during the days that the cervix was being dilated.
Autolysis. The first step in the decomposition of a corpse. Decomposition. A fancy word for rotting. The fetus will undergo autolysis -- rotting -- whether the abortionist is planning to dismember it or induce labor so it's expelled whole.
Let's step away from cases in which the baby is deliberately put to death and look at late miscarriages or stillbirth.
Maceration and The Timing of Intrauterine Death: "Maceration is the process of tissue degeneration which begins to occur as soon as an undelivered infant dies. It arises secondary to the effects of autolytic enzimes." (Emphasis mine)
Let's look at this page, that has a chart for physicians to estimate from gross examination (looking at the body with the naked eye rather than doing a microscopic examination of tissues).
By around 8 hours -- after the woman has been sent to the motel, but long before she returns for the first change of laminaria -- the fetus will show "'parboiled' reddened skin".
At around 12 hours, you'll see some skin slippage. Click here for a picture of skin slippage in a stillborn baby that had been dead about half a day before delivery.
Within 24 hours -- roughly the time the woman returns for the first change of laminaria -- the skin of the fetus will have begun to blister.
At about 2 days -- when the woman is returning for the second change of laminaria -- the fetal internal organs will start to show hemoglobin staining.
Between 8 hours and 2 days -- still during the time the woman is staying in a motel room with a friend or family member, before labor is induced -- the fetus will show "skin slippage and peeling".
During the time after 2 days -- one or two days before labor is induced -- the dead fetus will start to show more skin slippage, and the internal organs will become even more discolored.
This commentary on the autopsy findings on Lacy Peterson's unborn baby also describes the decomposition typically seen after death in-utero:
To see this illustrated, you can go to this page and note that the typical third trimester fetus spends 3-4 days in utero, dead, depending on his size, while the abortionist performs daily changes of laminaria in order to dilate the mother's cervix. The degree of maceration that would be seen is illustrated in pictures C and D. If you scroll down you can read that at 72 hours -- when labor would be induced to deliver a smaller third-trimester aborted baby -- about 75% of the baby's skin will be slipping. At 96 hours, when a larger baby would be expelled, the pieces of the baby's skull begin to overlap due to tissue deterioration.
In other words, the baby is rotting. It's a corpse. That's what corpses do. They rot. In this case, they're rotting inside their mother's wombs for three days in order to make absolutely sure that they aren't born alive.
I would challenge Somg, and other rotting-baby abortion defenders, what maternal health concern they can think of that would make killing the fetus three days prior to delivery necessary. What maternal health concern will be improved by the maceration of the fetus in her body over a three day period? Her physical health? Her mental health?
In his presentation paper on D&X ("Partial Birth Abortion"), Martin Haskell described first how late D&E abortions were done. Because the fetus was so difficult to dismember, abortionists would kill it on Day 1, so that "autolysis" would "soften" the tissues for dismemberment during the days that the cervix was being dilated.
Autolysis. The first step in the decomposition of a corpse. Decomposition. A fancy word for rotting. The fetus will undergo autolysis -- rotting -- whether the abortionist is planning to dismember it or induce labor so it's expelled whole.
Let's step away from cases in which the baby is deliberately put to death and look at late miscarriages or stillbirth.
Maceration and The Timing of Intrauterine Death: "Maceration is the process of tissue degeneration which begins to occur as soon as an undelivered infant dies. It arises secondary to the effects of autolytic enzimes." (Emphasis mine)
Within hours after death changes occur in the epidermal-dermal junction resulting in what usually is termed ‘skin slippage’. If the skin is rubbed the epidermis will detach from the underlying tissues. Shortly thereafter, fluid begins to accumulate under the skin. Bullae (blisters) may develop (which should not be misinterpreted as being secondary to an abnormality of development such as epidermolysis bullosa). These bullae rupture spontaneously or from delivery resulting in patchy denudation of the skin. Sloughing of skin from larger and greater number of surfaces indicates that the interval between death and delivery is longer. With antenatal death more than a few days prior to delivery other changes begin to occur including generalized hypermobility of joints, change in the color of the fetal skin surfaces to a pale grey-yellow and liquefaction of internal organs.
Let's look at this page, that has a chart for physicians to estimate from gross examination (looking at the body with the naked eye rather than doing a microscopic examination of tissues).
By around 8 hours -- after the woman has been sent to the motel, but long before she returns for the first change of laminaria -- the fetus will show "'parboiled' reddened skin".
At around 12 hours, you'll see some skin slippage. Click here for a picture of skin slippage in a stillborn baby that had been dead about half a day before delivery.
Within 24 hours -- roughly the time the woman returns for the first change of laminaria -- the skin of the fetus will have begun to blister.
At about 2 days -- when the woman is returning for the second change of laminaria -- the fetal internal organs will start to show hemoglobin staining.
Between 8 hours and 2 days -- still during the time the woman is staying in a motel room with a friend or family member, before labor is induced -- the fetus will show "skin slippage and peeling".
During the time after 2 days -- one or two days before labor is induced -- the dead fetus will start to show more skin slippage, and the internal organs will become even more discolored.
This commentary on the autopsy findings on Lacy Peterson's unborn baby also describes the decomposition typically seen after death in-utero:
| Gross Feature | Time from Death to Delivery at least |
| Areas of desquamated skin measuring 1 cm or more in diameter | 6 hours |
| Cord discoloration (brown or red) | 6 hours |
| Desquamation involving the skin of the face, back, or abdomen | 12 hours |
| Desquamation of 5% or more of the body surface | 18 hours |
| Desquamation involving 2 or more of the 11 body zones | 18 hours |
| Brown or tan discoloration of the skin, usually involving the abdomen | 24 hours |
| Moderate or severe desquamation | 24 hours |
| Mummification (any) | 2 weeks |
To see this illustrated, you can go to this page and note that the typical third trimester fetus spends 3-4 days in utero, dead, depending on his size, while the abortionist performs daily changes of laminaria in order to dilate the mother's cervix. The degree of maceration that would be seen is illustrated in pictures C and D. If you scroll down you can read that at 72 hours -- when labor would be induced to deliver a smaller third-trimester aborted baby -- about 75% of the baby's skin will be slipping. At 96 hours, when a larger baby would be expelled, the pieces of the baby's skull begin to overlap due to tissue deterioration.
In other words, the baby is rotting. It's a corpse. That's what corpses do. They rot. In this case, they're rotting inside their mother's wombs for three days in order to make absolutely sure that they aren't born alive.
I would challenge Somg, and other rotting-baby abortion defenders, what maternal health concern they can think of that would make killing the fetus three days prior to delivery necessary. What maternal health concern will be improved by the maceration of the fetus in her body over a three day period? Her physical health? Her mental health?
New CDC Abortion Surveillance Report out
The newest CDC Abortion Surveillance Summary is for 2005. Not that they're dragging their asses or anything.
The most recent deaths they tally are for 2004. Since then I have found:
2007: Edrica Goode and Laura Hope Smith
2006: Laura Grunas
2005: Christin Gilbert and Oriane Shevin
Now we can look at where the CDC deigns to count:
And, more closely, at those since 2000:
2004: They count 7 legal and 1 illegal. I have 2: Chanelle Bryant and Tamiia Russell. That means that the CDC knows of at least 6 abortion deaths I have been unable to learn anything about. The illegal death, since it's not been shouted from the rooftops by abortion advocacy groups, is probably one like Myrta Baptiste, who thought her abortion was legal, and didn't realize that her doctor had a suspended license when he did her abortion. The only detail they provide is that one of the legal abortion deaths was from a chemical abortion; I'm guessing that it was Chanelle.
2003: They count 10. I have 3: Leigh Ann Alford, Holly Patterson, and Vivian Tran. That means there are at least 7 deaths I don't know about. They state in their 2004 Abortion Surveil-lace that four of the deaths were from chemical abortions, which means that two of the three women whose chemical abortion deaths I've been unable to pin down were in 2003; I just have no way of knowing which two.
2002: They count 9. I have 4: Diana Lopez, "Adelle Roe", Brenda Vise, and Stacy Zallie. That means there are at least 5 deaths I don't know about.
2001: They count 6 legal and 1 illegal. I have only 1, "Haley Mason". That means there are at least 5 incuded abortion deaths I don't know about.
2000: They count 11. I have 3: L'Echelle Head, Kimberly Neil, and Nicey Washington. That means there are at least 8 more deaths I don't know about.
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
For more breakdown of abortion deaths by year or decade, see this post.
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
The most recent deaths they tally are for 2004. Since then I have found:
Now we can look at where the CDC deigns to count:
And, more closely, at those since 2000:
For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:
For more breakdown of abortion deaths by year or decade, see this post.
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
Search: "an abortion when the baby is fully formed "
"An abortion when the baby is fully formed" would be any abortion at 8 weeks or later. Eight weeks marks the transition from embryo to fetus -- a developmental milestone in that every essential structure of the human body is now present. There is nothing for the fetus to do now but mature.
Learn more about prenatal development here.
Mind you, the embryo doesn't just abruptly coalesce into a fetus at 8 weeks. Development has been going on since Day 1. The heart has been beating for weeks. The brain has formed into forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain, and has already begun to produce measurable brain waves. The kidneys have been producing urine for a week. The tiny chest even sports nipples.
The most recent data by the Alan Guttmacher Institute indicates that of 1.21 million abortions done in the United States in 2005. AGI lumps 8 week abortions on fully-formed fetuses in with abortions at 7 weeks or less, which destroy embryos. The CDC does this as well, as we can see in this chart in their 2005 Abortion Surveillance Summary. We have to go to another chart entirely to see what percent of abortions before 9 weeks are done on 6 and 7 week embryos, and what percent on 8 week, fully-formed fetuses. It shows that 30.4% are done on 6-week or younger embryos, and 17.1% on 7-week embryos, for a total of 47.5% of abortions, or less than half, being performed on embryos, and 52.5% being performed to destroy approximately 635,000 fully-formed fetuses.
You can click here to see the results of these abortions.
Learn more about prenatal development here.
Mind you, the embryo doesn't just abruptly coalesce into a fetus at 8 weeks. Development has been going on since Day 1. The heart has been beating for weeks. The brain has formed into forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain, and has already begun to produce measurable brain waves. The kidneys have been producing urine for a week. The tiny chest even sports nipples.
The most recent data by the Alan Guttmacher Institute indicates that of 1.21 million abortions done in the United States in 2005. AGI lumps 8 week abortions on fully-formed fetuses in with abortions at 7 weeks or less, which destroy embryos. The CDC does this as well, as we can see in this chart in their 2005 Abortion Surveillance Summary. We have to go to another chart entirely to see what percent of abortions before 9 weeks are done on 6 and 7 week embryos, and what percent on 8 week, fully-formed fetuses. It shows that 30.4% are done on 6-week or younger embryos, and 17.1% on 7-week embryos, for a total of 47.5% of abortions, or less than half, being performed on embryos, and 52.5% being performed to destroy approximately 635,000 fully-formed fetuses.
You can click here to see the results of these abortions.
1929: House calls for aftercare prove futile for teen
Dorothy Schultz, 19 years of age, lived with her parents in Tomah, Wisconsin. She had just graduated from high school in June of 1929 and was planning to take a job with the government in Washington.
In early June, Dorothy had gone to her mother with the news that she was pregnant and had missed two periods. On June 14, she was examined by Dr. Winter to verify that she was pregnant.
On June 15 or 16, Dorothy's mother brought her to Dr. W. B. Parke in Camp Douglas to arrange an abortion. He examined her and agreed to do an abortion for $150. Dorothy's mother thought this was expensive but Parke assured her that he was competent and this was his usual fee. Dorothy's mother agreed and made plans to return for the actual abortion at a later date.
The trip was delayed until June 19 due to inclement weather. Dorothy's parents wanted to remain at Parke's home while he did the abortion, but he requested that they leave. Dorothy's parents then offered to stay at a Camp Douglas hotel, but Parke didn't like this plan, either. He assured Dorothy's parents that all would go well, that he'd do the abortion in the morning. He took their $150 in cash and sent them on their way.
Although Dorothy had suffered a sore throat about two weeks before the abortion, she was in apparent good health when her parents brought her to Parke.
The next day, Dorothy's mother fetched her daughter home. Dorothy seemed well but went to bed. But that evening she suffered chills. She continued to be ill, so a few days later her parents called Parke and told him of Dorothy's condition. He came to the Schultz home, bringining instruments with him, which he sterilized by boiling. He then performed a procedure to clean out Dorothy's uterus.
Parke came to Dorothy's home on at least two other occasions. On June 25, he found her condition to be so serious that he wanted to return to Camp Douglas to get medicine for her.
Dorothy's parents wanted to call another doctor, but Parke told them to wait until after his return. After he left, Dorothy's parents called Dr. Winter. Dr. Winter found Dorothy delirious, with a 105 degree fever, and he suspeced an abortion. Parke returned to the house while Dr. Winter was still there.
Parke went to Dr. Winter's house after the 25th to ask after Dorothy. Parke said that he'd been very careful and didn't understand how Dorothy could possibly have an infection.
At first, Dorothy seemed to improve under Dr. Winter's care, but she then developed pneumonia. She died on July 3.
An autopsy was performed by Dr. Winter and Dr. Beebe. They found an enlarged uterus and dilated cervix, in keeping with a recent pregnancy. They found signs of infection and of instrumentation of abortion. Dorothy's reproductive organs were sent to a pathologist who found necrotic tissue. He concluded that the sepsis that started in Dorothy's uterus brought on the fatal pneumonia.
Parke went to Dorothy's house after her death to express his sympathy and to refund the $150 abortion fee. He also paid them an additional $850.
Parke testified in his own behalf, saying that the first visit to his office had been on or about June 8. He said that he'd not examined her at that time, but agreed to examine her to see if she was pregnant and if she could safely give birth. He said that he'd asked for $150 in case he had to hospitalize Dorothy, perform tests, or consult with other doctors. He said that after keeping Dorothy at his home overnight he sent her home without having performed any tests.
Parke also said that when Dorothy's parents brought her to his home on the 19th, she'd already attempted to perform an abortion on herself. He said that he'd only been providing her aftercare.
Parke was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in Dorothy's death.
Dorothy's abortion was typical of illegal abortions in that it was performed by a physician. Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1920s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
To email this post to a friend, use the icon below.
In early June, Dorothy had gone to her mother with the news that she was pregnant and had missed two periods. On June 14, she was examined by Dr. Winter to verify that she was pregnant.
On June 15 or 16, Dorothy's mother brought her to Dr. W. B. Parke in Camp Douglas to arrange an abortion. He examined her and agreed to do an abortion for $150. Dorothy's mother thought this was expensive but Parke assured her that he was competent and this was his usual fee. Dorothy's mother agreed and made plans to return for the actual abortion at a later date.
The trip was delayed until June 19 due to inclement weather. Dorothy's parents wanted to remain at Parke's home while he did the abortion, but he requested that they leave. Dorothy's parents then offered to stay at a Camp Douglas hotel, but Parke didn't like this plan, either. He assured Dorothy's parents that all would go well, that he'd do the abortion in the morning. He took their $150 in cash and sent them on their way.
Although Dorothy had suffered a sore throat about two weeks before the abortion, she was in apparent good health when her parents brought her to Parke.
The next day, Dorothy's mother fetched her daughter home. Dorothy seemed well but went to bed. But that evening she suffered chills. She continued to be ill, so a few days later her parents called Parke and told him of Dorothy's condition. He came to the Schultz home, bringining instruments with him, which he sterilized by boiling. He then performed a procedure to clean out Dorothy's uterus.
Parke came to Dorothy's home on at least two other occasions. On June 25, he found her condition to be so serious that he wanted to return to Camp Douglas to get medicine for her.
Dorothy's parents wanted to call another doctor, but Parke told them to wait until after his return. After he left, Dorothy's parents called Dr. Winter. Dr. Winter found Dorothy delirious, with a 105 degree fever, and he suspeced an abortion. Parke returned to the house while Dr. Winter was still there.
Parke went to Dr. Winter's house after the 25th to ask after Dorothy. Parke said that he'd been very careful and didn't understand how Dorothy could possibly have an infection.
At first, Dorothy seemed to improve under Dr. Winter's care, but she then developed pneumonia. She died on July 3.
An autopsy was performed by Dr. Winter and Dr. Beebe. They found an enlarged uterus and dilated cervix, in keeping with a recent pregnancy. They found signs of infection and of instrumentation of abortion. Dorothy's reproductive organs were sent to a pathologist who found necrotic tissue. He concluded that the sepsis that started in Dorothy's uterus brought on the fatal pneumonia.
Parke went to Dorothy's house after her death to express his sympathy and to refund the $150 abortion fee. He also paid them an additional $850.
Parke testified in his own behalf, saying that the first visit to his office had been on or about June 8. He said that he'd not examined her at that time, but agreed to examine her to see if she was pregnant and if she could safely give birth. He said that he'd asked for $150 in case he had to hospitalize Dorothy, perform tests, or consult with other doctors. He said that after keeping Dorothy at his home overnight he sent her home without having performed any tests.
Parke also said that when Dorothy's parents brought her to his home on the 19th, she'd already attempted to perform an abortion on herself. He said that he'd only been providing her aftercare.
Parke was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in Dorothy's death.
Dorothy's abortion was typical of illegal abortions in that it was performed by a physician. Keep in mind that things that things we take for granted, like antibiotics and blood banks, were still in the future. For more about abortion in this era, see Abortion in the 1920s.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
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