On criminal abortion in America

"On Criminal Abortion in America" by Horatio Robinson Storer is a medical treatise written in the mid-19th century. The work critically examines the legal and moral issues surrounding abortion, highlighting its perceived status as a crime against fetal life that has largely been overlooked by existing laws. Storer argues for the need for a more robust legal framework that reflects society's moral responsibilities toward both mothers and their unborn children. The opening of the text lays the groundwork for a detailed investigation into the complexities and frequency of criminal abortion, outlining the initial assumptions and subsequent arguments necessary for the discourse. Storer addresses the legal ambiguities surrounding abortion, emphasizing that common law and many state codes largely ignore fetal life, positioning the crime as one primarily against the mother. He goes on to assert the necessity of evaluating the frequency and consequences of this practice, suggesting that the medical community has a pivotal role in shaping public sentiment and legal standards regarding abortion. Storer prepares the reader for an exploration of both the legislative deficiencies and the ethical imperative for medical professionals and society as a whole to confront this "great opprobrium of the law."