Thursday, July 7, 2022

Abortion decision cherry-picks history – when the US Constitution was ratified, women had much more autonomy over abortion decisions than during 19th century

"…To begin with, 17th- and 18th-century legal authorities Edward Coke, Matthew Hale and William Blackstone had all advocated for or condoned abortion. They fretted only when the procedure was carried out after "quickening," the moment when the mother realizes that the fetus moves in her womb, approximately the fourth month of pregnancy. 
 As a medical procedure, abortion was widespread in Colonial and 18th-century America. By using more or less safe techniques, midwives and medical practitioners performed many types of operations on their patients. The woman could easily die, of course; but when she sought an abortion, no social, legal or religious force would have blocked her. 
 Also, a woman could choose from many available remedies rather than have an operation. Derived from juniper bushes, "savin," or Juniperus sabina, was one of the most popular abortifacients. Other herbs and concoctions were similarly taken: pennyroyal, tansy, ergot, Seneca snakeroot or cotton root bark. 
 Benjamin Franklin inserted an abortion recipe in a popular textbook he republished in Philadelphia in 1748. He didn't prompt any scandal…"

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