| 1905: May Putnam, Criminal Abortion Death | |
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On March 14, 1905, Miss May Putnam died at Monroe Hospital in Cicago from an abortion performed there that day. Two people, F.E. MacCordy and "Dr. Sucy alias Louise Hagenow", were arrested and held by Coroner's Jury on March 16. Clearly this is an example of muddled handwriting and should read "Dr. Lucy alias Louise Hagenow", since known abortionist Lucy Hagenow also practiced as Louise Hagenow and as Dr. Ida Von Schultz. There were a number of deaths in Chicago attributed to Dr. Lucy Hagenow, aka Louise Hagenow aka Ida Von Scultz. These deaths include: May'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. Source: Homicide in Chicago Interactive Database
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