147 years ago this article published in the New York Times, by Augustus S. Clair helped begin a movement which was the end of legal Abortion, at least until Roe v. Wade brought it back. No back-alley abortions here. Instead you found the decadent trappings reminiscent of a brothel from a hollywood western. Today we dress up our murder centers to look like a doctor’s offices rather than brothels. But the underlying, pagan evil is still the same. George Grant covers this story in detail and in context in his book Third Time Around: A History of the Pro-Life Movement from the First Century to the Present.
This reformation stands in stark contrast to the similar exposé kicked off by David Daleiden. Daleiden exposed a greater evil and was charged with “14 felony counts of unlawfully recording people without their permission — one count for each person — as well as one count of conspiracy to invade privacy. ” Our nation has experienced Christian revivals before The First and Second Great Awakenings. But this time we try to put the messenger in jail. A messenger who uncovered some of the worst most disgusting behavior in human history. At a time when we ‘mericans pride ourselves on being scientific and advanced, because someone in China can make us an iPhone, the slaughter and sale of human body parts goes on in every major American City.
There are PDF images of the original article available on the New York University ‘Undercover’ website. Which seems to be an attempt of the Liberals to revel in their heroic past, while today the Times defends Planned Parenthood. Grant points out that St. Claire was a descendent of Dutch Reformers, that is he was a Christian. Christians expose the truth and there used to be some at the New York Times. Today, they revel in death, they are post-Christians, just like all the pre-Christian pagans. Or perhaps worse according to St. Peter, II Peter 2:21.
I post this here in a more accessible format than their PDF’s. The NYU website includes some of the follow up articles in the series. I may include them later. I find it interesting that this article was 3543 words while the average article today is 1200 words. These were a more intelligent people and far more receptive to moral arguments.
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The Evil of the Age
Slaughter of the Innocents—Open Trade in Crime—Where Vice is Nurtured— The Moral and Physical Nature Both Destroyed—Scenes Described by Eye Witnesses.
The Enormous amount of medical malpractice that exists and flourishes, almost unchecked in the City of New-York, is a theme for most serious consideration. Thousands of human being are thus murdered before they have seen the light of this world, and thousands upon thousands more of adults are irremediably ruined in constitution, health and happiness. So secretly are these crimes committed and so craftily do the perpetrators inveigh their victims, that it is next to impossible to obtain evidence and witness. Facts are so artfully concealed from the public mind, and appearances so carefully guarded, that very meagre outlines of the horrible truth have thus far been disclosed. But could even a portion of the fact that have been detected in frightful profusion, by the agents of the Times, be revealed in print, in their hideous truth, the reader would shrink from the appalling picture.
More than once, some of the fearless and eminent of the clergy have spoken upon this theme from their pulpits. They have declared the existence of these great evils in social life—alike denounced and forbidden by the law of God and man. The records of our criminal courts also occasionally afford indications of the horrible degree and amount of depravity already referred to. Indeed, language can scarcely exaggerate the actual fact. There is a systematic business in the wholesale murder conducted by men and women in this City, that is seldom detected, rarely interfered with, and scarcely ever punished by law.
The men and women who are engage in this outrageous business are, with few exceptions, the worst class of impostors. Very few have genuine medical diplomas. Some are, or have been, nurses, and thus picked up fragments of knowledge, but are lamentably devoid of scientific education; in some cases they are ridiculously ignorant of the commonest rudiments of ordinary branches of learning. Some are said to have purchased diplomas, which it is reported can be obtained at certain Pennsylvania and Vermont institutions for $40 each. One man procured the diploma of a deceased physician, erased the name by some chemical process, and inserted his own. These documents are framed and conspicuously displayed in the “office.” to attract the first glance of the dupes who may enter.
Very rarely do these persons use their true names. Nearly all have one or more aliases. One fellow who appends “M.D.” to his circulars, was recently a cobbling shoemaker—and a very poor one at that. Suddenly he closed his shop, moved to another part of town, and was metamorphosed into a “doctor.” Another was formerly a barber. Another was a horse-shoer. Another was a glazier. The female practitioners generally have been nurses or midwives. Almost invariably they are in partnership with a man “doctor,” and are titled “madame,” or in some cases “doctor.” Lady patients, of course, prefer to call upon a “madame” in delicate cases, and are willing to converse freely with her. The ice being broken, the forbidding subject fully broached, and the purposes of the visit all developed, the “madame” calls in her “husband,” (?) the “doctor,” (?) who really then assumes charge of all that is afterward done. What the “medical treatment” subsequently may be cannot with propriety be here described. Any respectable physician knows the nature of the various methods in vogue. He also knows that they are all illegal, unprofessional, and extremely perilous.
A prominent Christian lady, a doctor, or “doctress,” greatly esteemed for her social virtues, has very often been approached with the most tempting offers of fees for such service, and always argues and dissuades the applicant form thus sinning. In one case where a wealthy man, accompanied by a young girl insisted, she caused his arrest, and although he held a position of wealth and position he was prosecuted. There are a great number of educated male and female physicians in or near this City, who live and thrive by these criminal practices. There are others who are the vilest of quacks. Of the latter there are about two hundred. Most of these have offices where they receive, consult with, and examine patients, but have no nursing rooms attached. The place is cunningly arranged. The other hall door is open; the inner one is closed. Over the glass is a thick lace curtain, through which a keen eyed attendant peers. When the patient enters he sums up in his mind what his or her circumstances may be. He then steps into the hall, opens the front room door, and politely ushers them in. Two eye-holes in the folding doors afford the “doctor” a full view from the back room. Similar arrangements are provided at other places, so that a dissatisfied or an incurable dupe may be seen, and the “doctor” can slip out of the back door and be “not in.” Sometimes an ostentatious display of instruments, bottles, and drugs is made for effect. The preliminary conversation is cheerful and polite, but brief. Then to business. A smatter of medical talk follows, then an explanation of symptoms, an examination, and the payment of the fee. A box of “pills,” a phial of liquid “drops,” or sometimes powders, are given, and the patient is bowed out.
A retired practitioner told the writer: “I never did any harm to these patients. I knew they were determined to get some one to do what they wished. If it was done, on or perhaps two, lives would be sacrificed. So I pretended, and thus saved life. I gave them pills of paste, rhubarb and sugar; and colored water slightly flavored; and when they would return, angry because the desired effect had not been produced, I said that I must adopt more severe measures, As you may imagine, I made just as much show in that. I had an arrangement with a clergyman to leave the dates on the certificate blank! Or if a wedding was impossible, I advised them to go to nursing-rooms, let nature take it’s course and adopt the ‘result.’ “
Undoubtedly a large number of quacks in the country, as well as in the City, practice the same method, and thus the fools and their money are parted. There are others, however, who pursue a widely different course. They compound and prescribe the most dangerous drugs, with reckless disregard of human suffering and life, and venture upon operations that are always hazardous, and not unfrequently fatal. the case of most recent notoriety was that of Dr. “Lookup” Evans, who was recently convicted and sentenced in the Court of General Sessions to five years’ imprisonment in the State Prison. A description of his horrible den in Chatham-street, when pounced upon by the police, has already been given, in these columns. The evidences of the guilt found there were of the most conclusive nature. Human flesh, supposed to have been the remains of infants, was found in barrels of lime and acids, undergoing decomposition. He came here from Scotland about twenty years ago, with no medical education whatever. Stubborn energy, active perseverance, and an undaunted boldness appear to have forced his guilty success. His first alias was “Old Dr. Ward.” Subsequently he assumed a number of other, among which were “Dr. Powers,” “Dr. Evans,” “Dr. Thompson,” “Dr. Elliot,” &c. The reckless bravado of this wretch may be inferred from the circumstances that when he was released on bail upon the charge that looked so black against him, he opened an office in Ann-street and Gold-street, and continued to transact a brisk business. It is said that he advertised to the extent of $1,000 per week, and received a daily average of 400 letters, most of which inclosed money for “pills.” In this nefarious business he had amassed a fortune of $100,000, a portion of which is invested in a splendid farm near Jamaica, Long Island. It is believed that his infamous business is even now conducted by hired deputies in Gold-street.
At No. 129 Liberty-street is a sign: “Dr. Mauriceau” —“Office.” A gentleman recently called there. He was ushered from one to the next room, and the door between was closed and locked. the person who represented himself as the doctor of a comely exterior, about fifty years of age, and of bland and courteous manner. He reposed comfortably in an easy revolving-chair, and seemed more like a benevolent Samaritan than a designing adventurer. “Are you Dr. Mauriceau?” was asked. “Yes; what can I do for you?” was the smiling reply, accompanied by a keen penetrating gaze. “I called to ascertain if you could relieve a lady of physical difficulty,” (describing the symptoms of the supposed patient.) “I can, Sir,” “Without danger?” “Yes, Sir—have had thousands of cases—have them all the time and never had any trouble at all.” “How long will it take, where will she be treated, and what are the terms?” “ A week or less, and I can find accommodations, up-town, very elegant, and the terms will be reasonable. But I must see the lady first before I say anything further.”
The history of this man’s career is very interesting. His true name is said to be “Loman.” “Mme. Restell” is his reputed wife. He was formerly a printer, but his “madame” induced him to abandon that honorable occupation. Years ago he published a book, entitled Dr. Maureeau’s Medical Companion. The entire work is said to have been plagiarized from a French author. What medical education he may claim to possess, was picked up in his own haphazard way. The following is a specimen of his advertisement in the New-York Herald—a paper which contains strings of disgraceful advertisements:
A GREAT AND SURE REMEDY FOR MARRIED LADIES—The Portuguese Female Pills always give immediate relief, being specially prepared for married ladies. A lady writes: “ These pills relieved me in one day, without inconvenience, like magic.” Price $5. Dr. A. M. Mauriceau, Office 129 Liberty-street, or sent by mail.
These shameful notices appear in the Herald every day. It is said that nearly $60,000 per annum is invested by this couple in advertising.
A lady and a gentleman who entered Mme. Restell’s house in Fifth-avenue last week, relate the following: “there is a broad, heavily-plated sign on the iron gates on one side, labeled ‘office.’ We descended three steps and stood in a plain but handsome hallway. A silken cord descended from the ceiling. This we pulled, and almost as soon as the bell tinkled within, the door was opened by a handsome young lady, who, as we afterward were told, was one of the ‘Madame’s daughters. ‘Is Mme. Restell in?’ we asked. ‘Yes; walk in’ she replied, carefully locking the door. We were ushered into a small darkened room, in the furthest front corner of the basement, apparently under the great flight of steps at the entrance. We groped our way to the sofa, and had just sat down when the Madame entered herself. ‘Well, what can I do for you?’ she asked. ‘Can you relieve a lady of a physical difficulty?’ ‘That depends upon the circumstances.’ A supposititious case was stated, and she promptly replied, ‘there will be no difficulty about that. Of course such affairs are expensive, you know. The charge will be —.’ Just then a sharp, quick rap was heard upon the door, and a voice from without exclaimed, ‘Ma, I want to speak with you a moment.’ The Madame retired a moment, and we could hear a brief but rapid colloquy. The next instant she returned, and in evident trepidation said, ‘I can sell you some pills, but really we do no other business. We have had so much trouble about these matters we don’t take any more risks. In all the six years that we have lived in this house there has never a stranger slept under the roof—none in fact but our own family.’ “ Other parties who have been there had a different experience. madame was not unsusceptible to the allurement of large fees.
Only the Police authorities have anything like an adequate idea of the gigantic dimensions of this evil. Every day adds new indications. That the number of murders from this cause is not generally known is easily accounted for. All the parties interested have the strongest motives to unite in hushing the scandal.
A.—Ladies’ Physician.—Dr. H. D. Grindle, professor of midwifery, twenty-five years’ successful practice in this City, guarantees certain relief to ladies in trouble, with or without medicine; sure relief to the most anxious patient at one interview; elegant rooms for ladies requiring nursing. Office—.
A. —Madame Grindle, Female Physician, guarantees relief to all female complaints; pleasant rooms for nursing.
The foregoing advertisement has for a long time appeared in the columns of the Herald and the other papers. The history of these two worthies is peculiar. The male member of the firm, if report tis correct, knows much more of shoe-making than of medicine. His verbose circular ostentatiously announces him as a “member of the New-York University,” &c., with twenty-five years’ experience. &c. His diploma is said to have been obtained but four years ago from a New-York Medial College at considerable expense. The nature of his occupation is sufficiently well indicated in the advertisement without the necessity of further description. He and his “Madame” transact an immense amount of business, in which they are reputed to have amassed a handsome fortune. Formerly their premises were in Amity-place, but the house becoming notorious they removed to their present locality in Twenty-sixth street, midway between Sixth and Seventh avenues. The house is of the three-story and basement style, with rear extension, and has a capacity for about twenty patients. It is appropriately surrounded by fashionable markets of infamy. A huge silver plate upon the outer door bears “Dr. Grindle’s” name: a sign of similar pattern,bearing the “Madame’s” name, glares upon the inner door. The interior is furnished with taste and elegance. The parlors are spacious, and contain all the decorations, upholstery, cabinetware, piano, book-case, &c., that is found in a respectable home. A lady and gentleman who recently called there related the following:
A neat-looking lad ushered us into the parlor, and went after the “Madame.” A profusion of circulars were scattered over the center-tables, some of them being folded as if intended to be mailed. Suddenly the door opened, and the Madame entered. She is fair, fat, forty, and evidently vigorous, and keen in all her actions. She addressed us with primping care, and in a voice as smooth as the flutter of a humming-bird. “My dear friend,” she said, “we can do what you hint at, I understand the case. We have had hundreds of them. Poor unfortunate women! How little they world knows how to appreciate their trials. We think it our mission to take them and save them—a noble work it is, too. But for some friendly hand like ours, how many, many blasted homes, scandalized churches and disorganized social circles there would be. Why, my dear friends, you have no idea of the class of people that come to us. We have had Senators, Congressmen and all sorts of politicians bring some of the first women in the land here. Many—very many aristocratic married women come here—or we attend them in private houses.” “What are your charges, Madame?” “Three hundred dollars covers all expenses, and we see the patient through—unless it occupies more than a week. Then we charge an extra medical fee, and board money.” “what about the child?” “Well, we adopt it out in good hands. One hundred dollars extra, is our fee for that.” “But—if—not—a—child—what then?” A quick rolling and flash of her glittering black eyes, a sprightly nod of the head, a finger placed on the lips, a knowing look and “Sh-h!” was the pantomimic reply. “We understand every branch of our business!” she exclaimed, with peculiar emphasis.
She stated that a more aristocratic but expensive nursing place could be furnished in West Twenty-third-street. this place is sumptuously furnished and well kept The best of nurses are employed. Chapters of thrilling interest could be written upon the scenes within those elegant rooms. The pale—ghastly pale and remorseful-looking countenances of the sufferers are indexes to romances in real life more startling in their stern reality than any web of fiction. How many bitter pangs, scalding tears and moans of agony were there. The most pitiful sight was that of the babes, sleeping sweetly—evidently under the influence of mild opiates. Fresh and fragrant flowers, and choice fruit were occasionally observed. How many broken hearts and shattered lives these stray points eloquently speak of. But more than that are the parting scenes between mother and child, when the later is taken away for adoption. Twenty five dollars per week is charged for board at this place.
A. —Ladies in trouble guaranteed immediate relief, sure and safe; no fees required until perfectly satisfied; elegant rooms and nursing provided. Dr. Ascher, Amity-place, &c.
The above advertisement is clipped from the Herald.
“Dr. Ascher,” alias “Rosensweig,” of South Fifth-avenue, below Amity-street, claims to be a Russian, but his voice has the twang of a German Jew. he is very bulky in figure, about forty years of age, and is said to know more of saloon business than of medicine, His diploma is said to have cost $40. His house is a large three story and basement one, and is able to accommodate twelve patients. He does a large business. When called upon, he assures applicants: “These other fellows are all humpugsh; tey bromish to do someting vot they don’t do. I poshitively do all operashunush widout any danger, and as sheap as anybody.” The corpselike faces to be seen peering through the bedroom blinds are enough to horrify the stoutest-hearted passers by.
The following are brief notes of some of the others who advertise the same business:
The Police Gazette says that Dr. Shelden is the best physician for ladies in trouble. Thousands are relieved without accident. No. 241 Bleecker-street.
Dr. Shelden is said to have “read medicine” for a period of at least six seeks, in Ohio. Fully aware of the effect of high-sounding professions and pretensions upon the unlettered populace, he was introduced to this City, some two or three years ago, as the late Demonstrator of Anatomy in medical college in Washington, and, as such, proffered his medial services in the foeticide professions. Naturally of a migratory temperament and habit, doubtlessly strengthened and confirmed by a bold and unscrupulous practice, he has seldom remained long in any one locality and under the same name, his many neighborhood legacies in the form of unsettled debts constituting the philosophy of the frequent transmutations. Some of his aliases are, Dion, Leon, Hoi-Illius, the Arab. Clark, Powers, Evans, And Thompson.
The Herald also contains the following advertisement:
Attention. —Twenty years Prussian hospital experience. Private diseases always permanently cured without mercury. Consultation free. Dr. Franklin, Bleecker-street.
Dr. Franklin’s real name is Jacoby, and formerly was a barber, who, until within three or four years past, conducted a shaving and hair-clipping saloon in Sixth-avenue.
This man, a German Jew, with no scientific and regular medical education, except what he has briefly gleaned from a confrère. He parades a diploma—price, $40.
The following are in the same business, and advertise more or less: Mme. Van Buskirk.— This woman’s name is Gifford. She came from New-Bedford, Mass. Her reputation there was an equivocal one, to say the least. This bold, bad woman was not long since arraigned for malpractice, and notwithstanding her narrow escape from punishment, still pursues her infamous profession with indomitable will and energy.
Mme. Maxwell, alias Costello.—This woman, a graduate of Mme. Restell’s when she was located in Chambers-street, notwithstanding her great age, still follows the iniquitous profession, and almost daily advertises that “she does not humbug ladies with medicine.” Mme. Worcester, Charles-street.—This woman is a veteran also in crime, and as a nurse, constitutes the medium of communication between the doctor and his female patient, operating as a screen for both in case of legal trouble.
The mails go burdened with the circulars of such people, and come laden with money enclosures for “pills,” “drops” and other vile humbugs. The best home firesides in the land have been invaded by these advertisements, either in the newspaper or in letters. To what a frightful extent this outrage is rapidly increasing few can realize. The facts herein set forth are but a fraction of a greater mass that cannot be published with propriety. Certainly enough is here given to arouse the general public sentiment to the necessity of taking some decided and effectual action.
Published in the New York Times, August 27, 1871
