Project Administrator, Author at Protection of Conscience Project Library

(Correspondence) Termination of Pregnancy Bill

JT Scott

British Medical Journal, BMJ — British Medical Journal

Extract
It would be a sad reflection upon our medical generation if it went down in history at our recent preoccupation with salaries and terms of service allowed the passage of a Bill which opened the door to abortion on non-medical indications. How many realize that clause I” (1) c says that abortion may be performed legally if the ” woman’s capacity as a mother will be severely overstrained ” ? In medical terms this means precisely nothing, but the pressures upon doctors to perform or authorize abortions under this clause will be hard to resist, and the way to ” abortion on demand ” will be wide open.

Scott J. (Correspondence) Termination of Pregnancy Bill. Br Med J. 1966 Dec 31;2(5530):1654.

Abortion law reform: memorandum prepared by a sub-committee of the Medical Women’s Federation

R.E. Bowden, A.M. Pantin

Extract

. . .A Bill seeking to reform the law governing abortion is now in the committee stage. The apparently increasing requests for abortion, the legal anomalies, and the practice of abortion by unskilled persons dictate the presentation of this interim report, despite the present dearth of factual information. . .Matters on which the Committee is Agreed . . . (8) No doctor or patient should be required to act against conscience in this matter of termination of pregnancy. . .

Bowden RE, Pantin AM. Abortion law reform: memorandum prepared by a sub-committee of the Medical Women’s Federation. Br Med J. 1966 December 17; 2(5528): 1512–1514

(Correspondence) Termination of pregnancy bill

J.T. Scott

Extract

The B.M.J. of 17 December shed a welcome ray of hope over what has otherwise seemed a dismal Christmas scene. I refer to the contributions from the Medical Women’s Federation (p. 1512) and Mr. D. Pells Cocks (p. 1531) on abortion law reform. The excellent memorandum of the Medical Women’s Federation puts the problem in proper and humane perspective and provides an ideal rallying point for medical opinion. . .

Scott JT. (Correspondence) Termination of pregnancy bill. Br Med J. 1966 December 31; 2(5530): 1654

(Correspondence) Therapeutic Abortion

Liam H Wright

Extract
Dr. D. G. Withers (16 April, p. 978) questions the right of a gynaecologist to ” refuse to do the work he is employed to do on the grounds of moral prejudice.” I would question Dr. Withers’s knowledge of the current medical status of termination of pregnancy. I would question, too, his use of the words ” moral prejudice.” As it is axiomatic that in medical discussions on this subject a Catholic is held incapable of an objective and unbiased view, my personal opinions will carry no weight with Dr. Withers. He should know, however, that there is no indication for termination of pregnancy about which there is universal agreement among gynaecologists (or other doctors). For each and every suggested indication there is a substantial body of competent informed non-Catholic medical opinion which opposes termination. These doctors, too, may be accused of (or praised for) moral prejudice.

Wright LH. (Correspondence) Therapeutic Abortion. Br Med J. 1966 Jul 23;5507):240.

(Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion

Liam H. Wright

Extract

Dr. D. G. Withers (16 April, p. 978) questions the right of a gynaecologist to ” refuse to do the work he is employed to do on the grounds of moral prejudice.” I would question Dr. Withers’s knowledge of the current medical status of termination of pregnancy. I would question, too, his use of the words ” moral prejudice.” . .

Wright LH. (Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion. Br Med J. 1966 July 23; 2(5507): 240

(Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion

H.C. McLaren

Extract

The Abortion Law reformers will not be pleased with the moderate proposals put forward by Dr. E. A. Gerrard and his Special Committee (2 July, p. 40), although the proposals will be greeted with relief by most gynaecologists. The recommendations amount to the giving of power over the life of the foetus to two practitioners, one of whom should be a gynaecologist, both, of course, acting in good faith. . .

McLaren HC, (Correspondence) Therapeutic abortion. Br Med J. 1966 July 23; 2(5507): 240

Therapeutic Abortion: Report by the BMA Special Committee

British Medical Association

Extract
The Special Committee of the British Medical Association was appointed by the Council on the instruction of the Representative Body, and first met in November 1965.* Its task was to bring up to date the Association’s earlier report of 1936. At the same time as the Committee began its task the House of Lords gave a second reading to an Abortion Bill promoted by Lord Silkin. The Committee therefore prepared, in January 1966, an interim report in the form of comments upon the clauses of this Bill. Simultaneously it sought information from 22 Commonwealth and foreign medical associations on the state of law and practice obtaining in their countries. The replies received have assisted materially in the preparation of the following definitive report on the legislative aspects of the problem. During the early months of 1966 a number of other important statements have appeared, notably the report of the Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and these too have been considered.

BMA. Therapeutic Abortion: Report by the BMA Special Committee. Br Med J. 1966;2(5504):40-44.

Summary of memorandum by R.M.P.A

British Medical Journal

Extract

The Royal Medico-Psychological Association issued last month a memorandum on possible changes in the law relating to therapeutic abortion. Emphasizing that it would be opposed to legislation which might bring pressure on an individual doctor to act contrary to his conscience, the memorandum states that the Royal Medico-Psychological Association has approached the problem of therapeutic abortion with the firm view that, in addition to traditionally accepted medical and psychiatric criteria, all social circumstances should be taken into account. . . .

Summary of memorandum by R.M.P.A. Br Med J. 1966 July 2; 2(5504): 44

(Correspondence) Abortion Law Reform

Robert Browne, David L Kirk

Extract
Legislation can be disastrous if it is ill-considered. Attempts to tidy up existing law, as in the case of betting and gambling, have proved in the last few years liable to proliferate what the law sought originally to discourage.

Browne R, Kirk DL. (Correspondence) Abortion Law Reform. Br Med J. 1966;1(5502):1541.

(Correspondence) Abortion Law Reform

DG Wilson Clyne

Extract
If we consider the medical indications for therapeutic abortion whereby the patient’s life may be expected to improve as a result of the operation, then its scope is very limited indeed. Rare indications include pregnancy complicated by carcinoma of the cervix; chorea gravidarum; status epilepticus; severe hyperemesis gravidarum; multiple sclerosis; pernicious anaemia ; and polyneuritis. . . Medically and psychiatrically therapeutic abortion is seldom indicated because it is very seldom indeed that it does any medical good.

Clyne DW. (Correspondence) Abortion Law Reform. Br Med J. 1966 Jun 11;1(5501):1482-1483.