Two anniversaries. Equally tragic?

Twenty-two-year-old Jeanette Reder died on December 12, 1930, from complications of a criminal abortion that had been committed on December 1 at the Chicago office of Dr. Emil Gleitsman. Gleitsman was arrested on December 13, and held for murder by abortion. He was indicted by a grand jury for homicide, but was acquitted on June 15, 1931. The source does not clarify why there was enough evidence to indict Gleitsman, but not enough to convict him.

Fast-forward half a century.

Thirty-year-old Sandra Williams was 11 weeks pregnant when whe underwent an abortion on December 12, 1984. She went home following the abortion. Less than twelve hours later, she was dead. Her death certificate noted that she died from a pulmonary embolism.

Why is Jeanette's death, from complications of an abortion performed by a doctor in his practice, some horrible, unspeakable, intolerable tragedy that we should fight like mad to prevent from ever happening again, but Sandra's death, from complications of an abortion performed by a doctor in his practice, just a big yawn, simply a flukey thing, no cause for concern? Move along, citizens, nothing to see here?

For more abortion deaths, visit the Cemetery of Choice:



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