1903: Friend's "help" proves deadly

Mrs. John A. Morris of Jacksonville, Illinois, died at 3:00 the morning of July 16, 1903.

An investigation found that she had tried a do-it-yourself abortion with an instrument given to her by a friend, Belle Osborne.

The abortion had caused septic peritonitis that took Mrs. Morris' life. She was about 29 years old, and left two children motherless.



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

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