| Mrs. Gies, Criminal Abortion Death | |
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In early 1908, Philadelphia police indicated, Frederic Gies Jr.'s wife was under the care of Dr. William H. Wilson. While under his care, she died from an illegal abortion he performed on her. On June 26, Wilson died after drinking poisoned ale. The police arrested Gies. 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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