Illegal Deaths, Before and After Antibiotics

Today, our anniversaries are all of women who died from criminal abortions. Three died under the care of doctors, one under the care of a mi...

Safe Legal Suicide and a Criminal Death

On April 5, 2001, Donetta Robben‘s 22-year-old niece, " Haley Mason ," didn‘t show up for work. The police got the landlord and w...

True Priorities, an Abortion Ring, and Another Historic Chicago Death

Mary Bradley , a 41-year-old mother of four, underwent a safe, legal 20-week abortion performed Dr. George Wayne Patterson in March of 1985...

A Doctor, a Midwife, and an Unknown Perp

Ethel Hestland , age 30, died on April 3, 1932, in the Oklahoma City area from a criminal abortion. Her death certificate was signed by Dr...

Two Chicago Deaths from a Century Ago

At about 11 a.m. on April 2, 1909, 37-year-old homemaker Carrie Pearson (or Person) died at Ravenswood Hospital in Chicago from septicemia...

Three Typical Early 20th Century Deaths

On March 29, 1921, Dr. Simeon B. Minden performed an abortion in his office on 32-year-old Mrs. Catherine Riga . Catherine died three days...

Early 20th Century Chicago: Two Typical Abortion Deaths

On March 31, 1926, 24-year-old Louise Maday died at Chicago's West End Hospital from complications of an abortion performed at an earl...