Dr. Julius E. Lackner: I reported 500 cases occurring in the service of Drs. Banga and Fninkenthal at the Michael Reese Hospital in the years 1900 to 1914. Of these 500 cases 4 died.
Five hundred cases in 15 years. About 34 a year. About one admission every 11 days. Hardly an entire ward full of septic abortion cases. And the mortality rate was less than 1%. And consider that this record predates blood transfusions and antibiotics. And, keep in mind, this case load is comprised of all women whose pregnancies ended before about six months, both naturally and due to criminal interference.
This shows how little credence we should give to claims of entire wards full of septic abortion cases, with a 50% mortality rate, as the Feministe Blog is contending.
Now let's jump ahead to a report of 156 cases over three years (1912-1914) at that same hospital -- again, both miscarriages and possible criminal abortions. That's actually 52 cases a year -- about one a week. Again, hardly a ward full.
No comments:
Post a Comment