Gene Ralighillegaldoctor, washington, 1930sSUMMARY: Gene Raligh, age 21, died on September 18, 1929 from complications of an abortion perpetrated in Tacoma, Washington by Dr. H. W. Coulter.

Sometime most likely in September of 1929, physician and surgeon H. W. Coulter performed an abortion upon 21-year-old Gene Andrews Raligh, leading to her death in Tacoma, Washington on September 18 from septicemia.

Gene’s survivors alleged that not only did Coulter injure her, but he also failed to treat her infection and instead concealed the extent of her illness and injury, preventing her from getting medical care that might have saved her life.

During the 1940s, while abortion was still illegal, there was a massive drop in maternal mortality from abortion. The death toll fell from 1,407 in 1940, to 744 in 1945, to 263 in 1950. Most researches attribute this plunge to the development of blood transfusion techniques and the introduction of antibiotics. Learn more here.

For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion

Sources:

• 163 Wash. 429, 1 P.2d 320; Supreme Court of Washington. Androws v. Coulter No. 22727.July 16, 1931. En Banc.
• Action by Ada M. Androws, administratrix of the estate of Gene Raligh, deceased, against H. W. Coulter
• Thurston County, Washington probate document

Genealogical info: Parents David Whitehard and Ada Dale

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