University of Virginia Library

21. INFANTICIDE AND ABORTION.

Few but medical men are aware of the enormous proportions which have been assumed by these terrible crimes during the present century. That they are increasing with fearful rapidity, and have really reached such a magnitude as to seriously affect the growth of civilized nations, and to threaten their very existence, has become a patent fact to observing physicians. The crime itself differs little in reality from that considered under the heading, the "Prevention of Conception." It is, in fact, the same crime postponed till a later period.

We quote the following eloquent words on this subject —

"Of all the sins, physical and moral, against man and God, I know of none so utterly to be condemned as the very common one of the destruction of the child while yet in the womb of the mother. So utterly repugnant is it that I can scarcely express the loathing with which I approach the subject! — murder in cold blood, without cause, of an unknown child, one's nearest relative; in fact, part of one's very being, actually having, not only one's own blood in its being, but that blood momentarily interchanging! Good God! Does it seem possible that such depravity can exist in a parent's breast — in a mother's heart?

" 'Tis for no wrong that it has committed that its sweet life is so cruelly taken away. Its coming is no disgrace; its creation was not in sin, but — its mother `do n't want to be bothered by any more brats; can hardly take care of what she had got; is going to Europe in the spring.'

"We may forgive the poor deluded girl — seduced, betrayed, abandoned — who in her wild frenzy, destroys the mute evidence of her guilt. We have sympathy and sorrow for her. But for the married shirk who disregards her divinely-ordained duty, we have nothing but contempt, even if she be the lordly woman of fashion, clothed in purple and fine linen. If glittering gems adorn her person, within there is foulness and squalor."[47] [47] Gardner.

Not a Modern Crime. — Although this crime has attained remarkable proportions in modern times, it is not a new one by any means, as the following paragraph will suffice to show: —

"Infanticide and exposure were also the custom among the Romans, Medes, Canaanites, Babylonians, and other Eastern nations, with the exception of the Israelites and Egyptians. The Scandinavians killed their offspring from fantasy. The Norwegians, after having carefully swaddled their children, put some food into their mouths, placed them under the roots of trees or under the rocks to preserve them from ferocious beasts. Infanticide was also permitted among the Chinese, and we saw, during the last century, vehicles going round the streets of Pekin daily to collect the bodies of the dead infants. To-day there exist foundling hospitals to receive children abandoned by their parents. The same custom is also observed in Japan, in the isles of the Southern Ocean, at Otaheite, and among several savage nations of North America. It is related of the Jaggers of Guinea, that they devour their own children."[48] [48] Burdach.

The Greeks practiced infanticide systematically, their laws at one time requiring the destruction of crippled or weakly children. Among all the various nations, the general object of the crime seems to have been to avoid the trouble of rearing children, or to avoid a surplus, objects not far different from those had in view by persons who practice the same crimes at the present time.

The destruction of the child after the mother has felt its movements, is termed infanticide; before that time it is commonly known as abortion. It is a modern notion that the child possesses no soul or individual life until the period of quickening, — an error which we have already sufficiently exposed. The ancients, with just as much reason, contended that no distinct life was present until after birth. Hence it was that they could practice without scruple the crime of infanticide to prevent too great increase of population. "Plato and Aristotle were advocates of this practice, and these Stoics justified this monstrous practice by alleging that the child only acquired a soul at the moment when it ceased to have uterine life and commenced to respire. From hence it resulted that, the child not being animated, its destruction was no murder."

The prevalence of this crime will be indicated by the following observations from the most reliable sources: —

"We know that in certain countries abortion is practiced in a manner almost public, without speaking of the East, where it has, so to speak, entered into the manners of the country. We see it in America, in a great city like New York, constituting a regular business, and not prevented, where it has enriched more than one midwife."

"England does not yield to Germany or France in the frequency of the crime of infanticide."[49] [49] Jardien.

"Any statistics attainable are very incomplete. False certificates are daily given by attending physicians. Men, if they are only rich enough, die of `congestion of the brain,' not `delirium tremens;' and women, similarly situated, do not die from the effects of abortion, but of `inflammation of the bowels,' etc."

"Infanticide, as it is generally considered (destroying a child after quickening), is of very rare occurrence in New York; whereas abortions (destroying the embryo before quickening) are of daily habit in the families of the best informed and most religious; among those abounding in wealth, as well as among the poor and needy."[50] [50] Gardner.

"Perhaps only medical men will credit the assertion that the frequency of this form of destroying human life exceeds all others by at least fifty per cent, and that not more than one in a thousand of the guilty parties receive any punishment by the hand of civil law. But there is a surer mode of punishment for the guilty mother in the self-executing laws of nature."[51] [51] Black.

"From a very large verbal and written correspondence in this and other States, I am satisfied that we have become a nation of murderers."[52] [52] Reamy.

Said a distinguished clergyman of Brooklyn in a sermon, "Why send missionaries to India when child-murder is here of daily, almost hourly, occurrence; aye, when the hand that puts money into the contribution-box to-day, yesterday or a month ago did, or to-morrow will, murder her own unborn offspring?

"The Hindoo mother, when she abandons her babe upon the sacred Ganges, is, contrary to her heart, obeying a supposed religious law, and you desire to convert her to your own worship of the Moloch of Fashion and Laziness and love of Greed. Out upon such hypocrisy!"

Writers tell us that it has even become the boast of many women that they "know too much to have babies."

Says the learned Dr. Storer, "Will the time come, think ye, when husbands can no longer, as they now frequently do, commit the crime of rape upon their unwilling wives, and pursuade them or compel them to allow a still more dreadful violence to be wreaked upon the children nestling within them, — children fully alive from the very moment of conception, that have already been fully detached from all organic connection with their parent, and only re-attached to her for the purposes of nutriment and growth, and to destroy whom `is a crime of the same nature, both against our Maker and society, as to destroy an infant, a child, or a man?' "[53] [53] "Is it I?"

Says another well-known author, "Ladies boast to each other of the impunity with which they have aborted, as they do of their expenditures, of their dress, of their success in society. There is a fashion in this, as in all other female customs, good and bad. The wretch whose account with the Almighty is heaviest with guilt, too often becomes a heroine."[54] [54] "A Woman's Thoughts about Women."

Causes of the Crime. — Many influences may combine to cause the mother ruthlessly to destroy her helpless child; as, to conceal the results of sin, to avoid the

burdens of maternity, to secure ease and freedom to travel, etc., or even from a false idea that maternity is vulgar; but it is true, beyond all question, that the primary cause of the sin is far back of all these influences. The most unstinted and scathing invectives are used in characterizing the criminality of a mother who takes the life of her unborn babe; but a word is seldom said of the one who forced upon her the circumstances which gave the unfortunate one existence. Though doctors, ministers, and moralists have said much on this subject, and written more, it is reasonable to suppose that they will never accomplish much of anything in the direction of reform until they recognize the part the man acts in all these sad cases, and begin to demand reform where it is most needed, and where its achievement will effect the most good. As was observed in the remarks upon the subject of "Prevention of Conception," this evil has its origin in "marital excesses," and in a disregard of the natural law which makes the female the sole proprietor of her own body, and gives to her the right to refuse the approaches of the male when unprepared to receive them without doing violence to the laws of her being.

The Nature of the Crime. — "The married and well-to-do, who by means of medicines and operations produce abortions at early periods of pregnancy, have no excuse except the pretense that they do not consider it murder until the child quickens.

"No, not murder, you say, for `there has not been any life in the child.' Do not attempt to evade, even to man, a crime which cannot be hidden from the All-seeing. The poor mother has not herself felt the

life of the child perhaps, but that is a quibble only of the laws of man, founded indeed upon the views now universally recognized as incorrect, that the child's life began when its movements were first strong enough to be perceptible. There is, in fact, no moment after conception when it can be said that the child has not life, and the crime of destroying human life is as heinous and as sure before the period of `quickening' has been attained as afterward. But you still defend your horrible deed by saying, `Well, if there be, as you say, this mere animal life, equivalent at the most to simple vitality, there is no mind, no soul destroyed, and therefore, there is no crime committed.' Just so surely as one would destroy and root out of existence all the fowls in the world by destroying all the eggs in existence, so certain it is that you do by your act destroy the animal man in the egg, and the soul which animates it. When is the period that intelligence comes to the infant? Are its first feeble strugglings any evidence of its presence? Has it any appreciable quantity at birth? Has it any valuable, useful quantity even when a year old? When, then, is it that destruction is harmless or comparatively sinless? While awaiting your metaphysical answer, I will tell you when it is sinful. Murder is always sinful, and murder is the willful destruction of a human being at any period of its existence, from its earliest germinal embryo to its final, simple, animal existence in aged decrepitude and complete mental imbecility."[55] [55] Gardner.

"There are those who would fain make light of this crime by attempting to convince themselves and others that a child, while in embryo, has only a sort of vegeta-

tive life, not yet endowed with thought, and the ability to maintain an independent existence. If such a monstrous philosophy as this presents any justification for such an act, then the killing of a newly born infant or of an idiot may be likewise justified. The destruction of the life of an unborn human being, for the reason that it is small, feeble, and innocently helpless, rather aggravates than palliates the crime. Every act of this kind, with its justification, is obviously akin to that savage philosophy which accounts it a matter of no moment, or rather a duty, to destroy feeble infants, or old, helpless fathers and mothers."[56] [56] Black.

Instruments of Crime. — "The means through which abortions are effected are various. Sometimes it is through potent drugs, extensively advertised in newspapers claiming to be moral! — the advertisements so adroitly worded as to convey under a caution the precise information required of the liability of the drug to produce miscarriages. Sometimes the information is conveyed through secret circulars; but more commonly the deed is consummated by professed abortionists, who advertise themselves as such through innuendo, or through gaining this kind of repute by the frequent commission of the act. Not a few women, deterred by lingering modesty or some sense of shame, attempt and execute it upon themselves, and then volunteer to instruct and encourage others to go and do likewise."[57] [57] Black.

Results of this Unnatural Crime. — It is the universal testimony of physicians that the effects of abortion are almost as deadly upon the mother as upon the child. The amount of suffering is vastly greater; for that of

the child, if it suffer at all, is only momentary, in general, while the mother is doomed to a life of suffering, of misery, if she survives the shock of the terrible outrage against her nature. It has been proved by statistics that the danger of immediate death is fifteen times as great as in natural childbirth. A medical author of note asserts that a woman suffers more injury from one abortion than she would from twenty normal births. Says an eminent physician on this point: —

"We know that the popular idea is that women are worn out by the toil and wear connected with the raising of large families, and we can willingly concede something to this statement; but it is certainly far more observable that the efforts at the present day, made to avoid propagation, are ten thousand-fold more disastrous to the health and constitution, to say nothing of the demoralization of mind and heart, which cannot be estimated by red cheeks or physical vigor."

But suppose the mother does not succeed in her attempts against the life of her child, as she may not; what fearful results may follow! Who can doubt that the murderous intent of the mother will be stamped indelibly upon the character of the unwelcome child, giving it a natural propensity for the commission of murderous deeds?

Then again, — sickening thought, — suppose the attempts to destroy the child are unsuccessful, resulting only in horrid mutilation of its tender form; when such a child is born, what terrible evidences may it bear in its crippled and misshapen body of the cruel outrage perpetrated upon it! That such cases do occur is certain from the following narrative: —

"A lady, determined not to have any more children, went to a professed abortionist, and he attempted to effect the desired end by violence. With a pointed instrument the attempt was again and again made, but without the looked-for result. So vigorously was the effort made, that, astonished at no result's being obtained, the individual stated that there must be some mistake, that the lady could not be pregnant, and refused to perform any further operations. Partially from doubt and partially from fear, nothing further was attempted; and in due process of time the woman was delivered of an infant, shockingly mutilated, with one eye entirely put out, and the brain so injured that this otherwise robust child was entirely wanting in ordinary sense. This poor mother, it would seem, needs no future punishment for her sin. Ten years face to face with this poor idiot, whose imbecility was her direct work — has it not punished her sufficiently?"

An Unwelcome Child. — A number of years ago, a woman called on the writer, stating that she had become pregnant much against her wishes, and earnestly desired that an abortion should be produced. The following conversation ensued: —

"Why do you desire the destruction of your unborn infant?"

"Because I already have three children, which are as many as I can properly care for; besides, my health is poor, and I do not feel that I can do justice to what children I now have."

"Your chief reason, then, is that you do not wish more children?"

"Yes."

"On this account you are willing to take the life of this unborn babe?"

"I must get rid of it."

"I understand that you have already borne three children, and that you do not think you are able to care for more. Four children are, you think, one too many, and so you are willing to destroy one. Why not destroy one of those already born?"

"Oh, that would be murder!"

"It certainly would, but no more murder than it would be to kill this unborn infant. Indeed, the little one you are carrying in your womb, has greater claims upon you than the little ones at home, by virtue of its entire dependence and helplessness. It is just as much your child as those whose faces are familiar to you, and whom you love. Why should you be more willing to take its life than that of one of your other children? Indeed, there are several reasons why, if one must die because there are too many, one of those already born should be sacrificed instead of the one unborn. Your other children you are acquainted with. Some of them have serious faults. None of them have very marked mental ability, or give very great promise of becoming specially useful in the world. This one that is unborn, may, for aught you know, be destined to a career of wonderful usefulness. It may be a genius, endowed with most remarkable gifts. It may be a discoverer of some new truth or new principle, which will be of great service to the world. It may be of all your children the most talented and the most lovable, and in every way the most desirable. Again, you cannot destroy the life of this innocent child whom you have

never seen, without endangering your own life as well, and certainly not without incurring the risk of life-long suffering and disease. This could all be avoided by the sacrifice of a child already born."

"But that would be too horrible! To think of taking one of my little boys and cutting his throat, or throwing him into the river! I could not do such a wicked thing."

"The act would be in no sense more wicked than what you have come here to request me to do for you. Certainly, you do not think that I advise you to take the life of one of your little children. I only wish to present the matter to you in such a light that you will see the enormity of the crime which in your heart you have proposed to commit. My most earnest advice to you is that you put such thoughts far from your mind, and endeavor to make the best of your present circumstances. Employ all such means as will build up your health, and fortify yourself for the ordeal through which you must pass, and which will conduce in every way to the development of a vigorous and healthy child."

The woman left our office defeated, but not wholly restored to moral sanity. She continued to bemoan her condition, and allowed her heart to be filled with enmity against the innocent being that was in no way responsible for her afflictions. So far as I know, however, no active measures were taken to produce abortion. The mother dragged out a miserable existence for several months, and finally gave birth to a puny infant, which barely survived the perils of parturition, and came into the world the most wretched of all human beings, "an unwelcome child." In a few weeks it

became emaciated to an extent almost beyond belief, with not one particle of fatty tissue remaining to give to its body the plumpness and roundness natural to this period of life. The eyes were sunken back in their sockets, the cheeks fallen in, the nose pinched, and the whole countenance presented the appearance of infirm old age, just upon the verge of the grave, from consumption. The fingers resembled most those of a skeleton. Horrible sores began to make their appearance, first on the hands, then about the head and eyes. The bones began to decay and drop out one by one, and yet the poor little creature clung to life week after week, becoming more wretched and miserable, a constant moaning and crying day and night indicating the intense suffering which it endured. Horrible spasms now and then deprived it of the power to breathe. Again and again the mother thought it was dying, and even dead, but still it survived month after month, lingering on literally a living, breathing putrefying corpse. During all these days and weeks and months of weary watching, day and night, what must have been the mother's thoughts! What pangs of bitter self-reproach, and what remorse of conscience must have burned in her heart, as during the long night watches she sat beside her dying babe, and listened to its piteous moans!

And still the wretched infant lingers on. Its little flickering flame of life still faintly burns, and still the mother tends it day and night, dressing its festering sores, and soothing its feeble cry. Vain is her effort to undo the wrong she has done her little one; but let us hope that by genuine repentance and the many months of

faithful and patient watching, she has made a full atonement for her sin.

The Remedy. — Whether this gigantic evil can ever be eradicated, is exceedingly doubtful. To effect its cure would be to make refined Christians out of brutal sensualists, to emancipate woman from the enticing, alluring slavery of fashion, to uproot false ideas of life and its duties, — in short to revolutionize society. The crime is perpetrated in secret. Many times no one but the criminal herself is cognizant of the evil deed. Only occasionally do cases come near enough to the surface to be dimly discernable; hence the evident inefficiency of any civil legislation. But the evil is a desperate one, and is increasing; shall no attempt be made to check the tide of crime, and save the perpetrators from both physical and spiritual perdition? An effort should be made, at least. Let every Christian raise the note of warning. From every Christian pulpit let the truth be spoken in terms too plain for misapprehension. Let those who are known to be guilty of this most revolting crime, be looked upon as murderers, as they are; and let their real moral status be distinctly shown.

All these means will do something to effect a reform; but the radical cure of the evil will only be found in the principles suggested in the section devoted to the consideration of "Marital Excesses." The adoption of those principles and strict adherence to them would effectually prevent the occurrence of circumstances which are the occasion of abortions and infanticides.

Murder by Proxy. — "There is, at the present time, a kind of infanticide, which, although it is not so well

known, is even more dangerous, because done with impunity. There are parents who recoil with horror at the idea of destroying their offspring, although they would greatly desire to be disembarrassed of them, who yet place them without remorse with nurses who enjoy the sinister reputation of never returning the children to those who intrusted them to their care. These unfortunate little beings are condemned to perish from inanition and bad treatment.

"The number of these innocent victims is greater than would be imagined, and very certainly exceeds that of the marked infanticides sent by the public prosecutor to the court of the assizes."