When abortion was a crime women, medicine, and law in the United States, 1867-1973 - Reagan, Leslie J. (University of California Press, 1997)
Includes bibliographical references (pages 343-366) and index
An open secret -- Private practices -- Antiabortion campaigns, private and public -- Interrogations and investigations -- Expansion and specialization -- Raids and rules -- Repercussions -- Radicalization and reform
As we approach the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it's crucial to look back to the time when abortion was illegal. Leslie Reagan traces the practice and policing of abortion, which although illegal was nonetheless widely available, but always with threats for both doctor and patient. In a time when many young women don't even know that there was a period when abortion was a crime, this work offers chilling and vital lessons of importance to everyone. The linking of the words "abortion" and "crime" emphasizes the difficult and painful history that is the focus of Leslie J. Reagan's important b