| Mrs. G.H. Matteson, Criminal Abortion Death | |
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On May 9, 1901, Mrs. G.H. Matteson, a homemaker, died from an illegal abortion in Chicago. Mrs. Matteson's husband was arrested, as was Dr. J.B. Butts, who was held by Coroner's Inquest on May 16. Mr. Matteson's name is give as both Gus M. and Guy H., possibly due to illegibility of hand-written documents. Mrs. Matteson's abortion was typical of pre-legalization abortions in that it was performed by a physician. Note, please, that with issues such as doctors not using proper aseptic techniques, lack of access to blood transfusions and antibiotics, and overall poor health to begin with, there was likely little difference between the performance of a legal abortion and illegal practice, and the aftercare for either type of abortion was probably equally unlikely to do the woman much, if any, good. For more about abortion and abortion deaths in the first years of the 20th century, see Abortion Deaths 1900-1909.
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
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