Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Three Doctors' Fatal Handiwork: 1927, 1926, 1874

On November 30, 1874, Mrs. Mary Dix died at her Chicago home from complications of a criminal abortion performed there. Dr. W. F. Aiken was arrested and charged with murder.

On October 27, 1926, 34-year-old Sophie Peterson underwent an illegal abortion in the Chicago office of Dr. Frederick Springe. She was taken to Mercy Hospital, where she died on November 30. Springe was indicted for felony murder by a grand jury on December 15.

On November 30, 1927, 22-year-old Lucille van Iderstine died in the Chicago office of Dr. Emil Gleitsman, from an abortion that had been performed on her that day. Gleitsman was indicted for felony murder in Lucille's death on January 15, 1928.

You might notice a pattern here: All of these illegal abortions were performed by physicians. This was typical of pre-legalization abortions.


external image Illegals.png

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