Patient B, whom I'll call "Betsy," arrived at Queens Medical Polyclinic in response to a newspaper ad on July 30, 1984. Her period was three days late, and she had nausea.
The receptionist rejected the morning urine specimen that Betsy had brought, and instructed her to provide a fresh specimen in the rest room. She then took the specimen into another room.
The receptionist returned and told Betsy that the test was positive. She offered Betsy an abortion at a cost of $150. Betsy said that she would think about it, and left.
Betsy called the next day, and scheduled an abortion appointment for the following day. She was instructed not to eat for 4 hour prior to her appointment.
On August 1, Betsy reported to the clinic, paid for the abortion, and read and signed the consent form. She told the receptionist that she was allergic to Betadine and that she had an "enzyme deficiency." The receptionist recommended general anesthesia.
Maxen Samuel entered the reception area, told Betsy that he was from Haiti and that it was his birthday, and chatted with Betsy.
Betsy was then taken to a room, and told to undress and put a gown on. Samuel entered, put on a glove "which he doused in Betadine." Betsy asked him not to use Betadine. Samuel took off the glove, said he had forgotten and that the Betadine was not necessary.
The receptionist took Betsy's blood pressure, and administered an injection that put Betsy to sleep.
When Betsy awoke, she was alone. She dressed, and the receptionist came and escorted her to the waiting room. Samuel entered, told Betsy that she had been 6-7 weeks pregnant. He gave her a prescription and told her to return in 2 weeks. No physical examination had been done prior to or after the abortion, no medical history had been taken, and no lab work was done other than the pregnancy test.
Sources: Newsday 12-13-93; New York Daily News 11-13-86; Associated Press 12-14-89; New York Post 3-7-85, 3-8-85; University of the State of New York Case No. 4407 2/4/86
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