Lucille van Iderstine1920s, 20s, chicago, illinois, illegaldoctorOn November 30, 1927, 22-year-old homemaker Lucille van Iderstine died in the Chicago office of Dr. Emil Gleitsman, from an abortion that had been performed on her that day. Gleitsman was indicted for felony murder in Lucille’s death on January 15, 1928.
Lucille’s abortion was typical of illegal abortions in that it was performed by a physician.

Evidently Gleitsman beat the rap on Lucille’s death because he was later implicated in the abortion deaths of:
- Jeanette Reder, 1930
- Mary Colbert, 1933
- Marie O’Malley and Maggie Doe, 1942
For more on pre-legalization abortion, see The Bad Old Days of Abortion
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