Two back alley abortion anniversaries

On March 9, 1921, Iva J. Triplett died of septicemia and peritonitis under the care of Dr. C. W. Milliken. She had been ill ever since Milliken had performed an abortion on her in Akron on March 1. She left a widower and children. Iva's survivors sued, not only for the injury but for failure to inform Iva's family of the nature of her illness so that they could seek and provide appropriate care for her. Iva's abortion was typical of pre-legalization abortions in that it was performed by a physician.

On March 9, 1929, Alline L. Brown died in Chicago from a criminal abortion. The culprit was never identified or brought to justice.



For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

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