July 11, 1975: Death at the "Lime 5" Clinic

 Beverly Ann Moore, age 15, dies on July 11, 1975 after an abortion performed by Dr. Tuckey Hayes at Chattanooga Women's Clinic -- the "Lime 5" clinic.

Hayes assured Beverly's parents that she would be "all right" just fifteen minutes before she died.

Chattanooga Women's Clinic was written up for continued deficiencies even after Beverly's death. Noted flaws included (with dates of citation):

• "Wrist, knee or foot controls not provided on lavatories used by physicians and nurses" (3-8-79)
  
• No system for referring patients to other health care providers (3-8-79)
  
• No emergency transfer arrangements (3-8-79)
  
• Lack of written job descriptions (3-8-79, 10-10-89)
  
• Lack of documentation of staff qualifications (10-10-89)
  
• Inoperable emergency lighting (3-8-79, 3-12-87, 3-17-87, 4-5-93)
  
• Re-use of disposable curettes (3-12-87)
  
• Medications out-of-date (5-22-85, 3-12-87, 3-17-87, 10-10-89, 4-6-92)
  
• Outdated IV solution (10-10-89)
  
• Medications improperly stored (3-8-79, 3-12-87, 3-17-87, 6-18-87)
  
• Unwrapped speculums stored in examining table drawer (6-18-87)
  
• Used disposable curettes stored on shelf with clean supplies (6-18-87)
  
• Blood in procedure table (10-10-89)
  
• Dirty floor and equipment in lab (10-10-89)
  
• Out of date sterile instruments in autoclave area (6-18-87)
  
• "Sterile instruments in treatment room observed to have stains" (4-6-92)
  
• Patient records lacking documentation of required testing for sexually transmitted diseases (10-10-89)

A young woman would later sue the clinic over the dehumanizing treatment she has received there during an 8-week abortion in February of 1992. She was stripped of her name and told to answer to "Lime 5." Her pre-abortion "counseling" took place in a room with 20 other patients. She was not given copies of any of the papers she signed. Staff were not available to answer her questions. When she was on the table, the doctor came in to perform her abortion with his shirt unbuttoned. He used repeated profanity, appeared to be fondling the nurse, and told the patient that he believed "Nothing is better in life than sex and money." The young woman was injured. When she sued the clinic, she tried to use a pseudonym, but the clinic successfully moved that the young woman they wouldn't even call by her real name had to use that name in public if she wanted to sue them. (Hamilton County (TN) Circuit Court Docket No. 92CV-1999)

Watch "Death in the 'Lime 5' Clinic" on YouTube.

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Sources: Kevin Sherlock Death Log; Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Survey Form 3-12-87; Statement of Deficiencies and Plan of Correction 3-8-79, 5-22-85, 3-17-87, 6-18-87, 4-24-90, 4-16-91, 4-6-92, 4-5-93; Licensing Board Docket No. 17.17-D-89-1104A