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...

Chicago, 1912 and 1924

On March 29, 1924, 30-year-old Etta Marcus died at Chicago's Francis Willard Hospital (pictured) from complications of a criminal abor...

Safe and Legal in 1986 Leaves Woman Dead

Very little is available concerning the abortion death of 29-year-old Gail Wright . She was 20 weeks pregnant. After the abortion, she devel...

Typical and Atypical, and Why One Must Be Ignored

On March 27, 1940, 20-year-old homemaker Mary Ann Page of Alton, Illinois, died from a botched criminal abortion. The coroner's jury ...

Safe and Legal in 1986

Gail Wright was 29 years old when she underwent a legal abortion. She was 20 weeks pregnant. After her abortion, she developed sepsis . She...

From the 19th to the 21st Centuries, Quackery Remains Lethal

On March 25, 2000, 22-year-old Maria Rodriguez went to Steve Lichtenberg's Albany Medical Surgical Center for a late second trimester ...

Three Criminal Deaths, and Lessons for Prevention

On March 21, 1947, Ilene Eagen , age 24, was brought to Mankato, Minnesota, to the dental office of W. A. Groebner for an abortion. Court ...

From 1905 to 1979, Abortion Kills Each Woman Equally Dead

Lynn McNair , age 24, was 23 weeks pregnant when she was injected with saline by Dr. Edward Rubin at Jewish Memorial Hospital.The first in...

1983: Doctor-Recommended Abortion Kills Teen

Barbara Hoppert was a sixteen-year-old high school sophomore when she checked into Loma Linda University Hospital for an abortion. Barbara ...

A Doctor, a Husband, and a Lover

On March 20, 1926, 19-year-old Alice Annalora died at the County Hospital in Chicago from complications of an abortion performed that day....

More Criminal Deaths -- Mostly the Work of Doctors

Geraldine Easley , age 19, admitted before her death on March 19, 1932, that she had undergone a criminal abortion. Since Dr. James W. Eisim...

Early 20th Century -- Chicago Abortion Deaths

On March 18, 1914, 28-year-old derssmaker Irene Ridgeway died at Garfield Park Hospital in Chicago from an abortion performed by an unknown...

Legal, Illegal, Equally Deadly

Cycloria Vangates , age 32, underwent an abortion on March 13, 1976, performed by Dr. Paul Glassman . She suffered a cervical laceration. T...

Abortions Deadly, Over More than a Century

Norma Greene , a 34-year-old divorcee, went into cardio-respiratory arrest in a Winston-Salem hospital on March 16, 1981. Her death certifi...

A Chicago Midwife and an Unknown Perp

On March 15, 1915, 22-year-old homemaker Elenora Cassidy died at Cook County Hospital after being treated for two days for septicemia. Bef...

The Infamouse Dr. Hagenow, Chicago, and Hauled Out to the Car

Abortionist Lucy "Louise" Hagenow March 16, 1905, 27-year-old seamstress Mary Putnam died at Chicago's Monroe Street Hospital...

Early 20th Century Chicago, a Doctor and a Midwife

On March 13, 1917, 33-year-old Minnie Schofield died at a Chicago residence after an abortion performed that day by Dr. Fred L. Orsinger ....

Criminal Abortion: The Work of Doctors and Midwives

On February 4, 1928, 24-year-old Julia Agoston underwent a criminal abortion in Chicago. The coroner concluded that the abortion had been ...

Deaths at the Hands of Two Criminal Abortionists, and One Former Criminal Abortionist

Sidney Knight was facing a number of criminal abortion charges in 1973, when Roe v. Wade made them a moot point. He hung out his shingle a...

Doctors' Fatal Work in 1921 and 1914

On March 1, 1921, Dr. C.W. Milliken performed an abortion on 28-year-old Iva Triplett . Milliken was practicing in Akron, Ohio. Immediatel...

Modern Quackery, Beneficiaries of New York Legalization, and Pre Roe Deaths

On March 4, 1975, Robert Sherman performed a safe and legal abortion on 16-year-old Rita McDowell , who was in the second trimester of her...

In Any Century, Abortion Kills Women

Gloria Small , a 43-year-old mother of six, went to Ronald Tauber (who was later arrested for sex crimes against children) for a safe ane l...