Four pre-legalization anniversaries

All four of today's anniversaries date back to pre-legalization days.

In early October of 1883, Mrs. O'Connor, a widow, died from a criminal abortion in Halifax. "Dr. Archibald Lawson, a prominent physician, has fled to avoid arrest."

On October 18, 1920, 30-year-old Alice Jolly died at Chicago's Englewood Hospital from a criminal abortion perpetrated by somebody who was never identified.

On October 18, 1939, Miss Alice Corbett, age 28, of Brooklyn, New York, died from complications of an illegal abortion. Dr. Allen F. Murphy was sentenced to 2-10 years in Sing-Sing for Alice's death.

On October 18, 1942, 23-year-old Harriet Lichtenberg of Brooklyn died in Royal Hospital, the Bronx, from suspected criminal abortion complications. Dr. Henry Katz was indicted for first degree manslaughter in Harriet's death.

You'll notice that in all three cases in which the abortionist was identified, he was a physician. This was typical in pre-legalization abortions. Women, by and large, are neither mentally incompetent nor mentally deranged, and don't merely reach reflexively for the rustiest coathanger in the closet when they decide upon abortion. Read Nancy Howell Lee's excellent The Search for An Abortionist for a contemporary account.