1/ Abortion throughout history: a thread #ProChoiceScientist
Abortion has been part of humanity for millennia. In Ancient Egypt (circa 1550 BCE) women used plant fiber tampons covered with a mixture which included honey and crushed dates to induce miscarriage.
Abortion has been part of humanity for millennia. In Ancient Egypt (circa 1550 BCE) women used plant fiber tampons covered with a mixture which included honey and crushed dates to induce miscarriage.
2/ Silphium was used so commonly as an abortifacient in the ancient world that it is now extinct. Pennyroyal is also often used even today (please be careful when considering the use of pennyroyal as it is highly toxic and the smallest deviation in dose and preparation can be
3/ fatal). Strenuous exercise was also commonly used to induce miscarriage; heavy labour, weightlifting, and diving were particularly popular.
Women also used irritant leaves (sometimes even poison ivy) inserted into the vagina. Bloodletting, pouring hot water onto the abdomen,
Women also used irritant leaves (sometimes even poison ivy) inserted into the vagina. Bloodletting, pouring hot water onto the abdomen,
4/ and lying on heated coconut shells were all common practise.
In colonial times, most home medical guides gave recipes for termination, using herbs that can easily be planted in one's garden or found in the forest.
In colonial times, most home medical guides gave recipes for termination, using herbs that can easily be planted in one's garden or found in the forest.
5/ By the mid 18th century, these recipes were so common that the concoctions were commercially and widely available. Unfortunately these mass produced recipes were often fatal, and the first laws regulating abortion (circa 1820) were actually poison-control laws, banning
6/ the sale of "poison", but not abortion itself. These laws were completely ineffective, and by 1840 the sale of abortifacients were booming, even being advertised widely in the printing press. The American Medical Association (AMA) set out to end this, mostly
7/ as a way of establishing supremacy of colonial male doctors over traditional healers and midwives.
The most common demography getting abortion in the 19th century were middle and upper class white women.
Of course the christian white supremacists were having none of that.
The most common demography getting abortion in the 19th century were middle and upper class white women.
Of course the christian white supremacists were having none of that.
8/ To quote Horatio R. Storer (anti-abortion physician and village idiot): "Would the West be filled by our own children or by those of aliens? This is a question our women must answer; upon their loins depends the future destiny of the nation."
9/ So the first anti-abortion laws were in fact passed in order to maintain the Aryan race, and outbreed all others. This was also the common sentiment with the mass rapes of native and woc in colonial times.
10/ Of course the AMA wasn't satisfied yet, and in 1902 endorsed the common practise of denying women suffering from backalley abortion complications, medical care until they confessed to their "crime". This was seen as a "good detergent for women seeking abortion".
11/ Except it wasn't and it only caused women to stay silent and not seek medical care. In the 1920s an average of 15 000 women died a year from backalley abortions in America (and that is just the recorded numbers - some estimate it to be as high as 60 000).
12/ Abortion rates again soared during the Great Depression, as women lost their jobs if they married or had children. There have been descriptions of "Birth Control Clubs" whose members would pay regularly into a collective fund and draw abortion fees from it as needed.
13/ These practices were outlawed in the 1950s, but by 1960 the criminalisation ideology started to crumble. States were forced to make legal exceptions for rape and and severe danger to the women. Illegal abortion thrived until Roe was passed.
14/ To summarise:
Abortion was made illegal because of
1. Poison-control of commercial drugs
2. To ensure the continuation of the Aryan race
3. To establish supremacy of white male doctors over traditional healers and midwives
Abortion was made illegal because of
1. Poison-control of commercial drugs
2. To ensure the continuation of the Aryan race
3. To establish supremacy of white male doctors over traditional healers and midwives
15/ Women will always find a way, just like we have since the time of Ancient Egypt. We are not incubating pawns in the game of white male supremacy.
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