Abortifacients, including emmenagogues (herbs such as tansy, mugwort, and angelica, for example) are used to terminate pregnancy. In British history, they’ve appeared in Victorian literature such as Physician Vilbert’s “female pills” in Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure. They are in T.S. Eliot’s seminal poem on WWI, The Waste Land. And they also make an appearance in my historical novel Roseleigh.
HURRY UP PLEASE ITS TIME
If you don’t like it you can get on with it, I said.
Others can pick and choose if you can’t.
But if Albert makes off, it won’t be for lack of telling.
You ought to be ashamed, I said, to look so antique.
(And her only thirty-one.)
I can’t help it, she said, pulling a long face,
It’s them pills I took, to bring it off, she said.
(She’s had five already, and nearly died of young George.)
The chemist said it would be all right, but I’ve never been the same.
You are a proper fool, I said.
Well, if Albert won’t leave you alone, there it is, I said,
What you get married for if you don’t want children?
HURRY UP PLEASE ITS TIME¹
During World War I, the UK faced immense social, economic, and cultural upheaval. As men went off to fight, women took on new roles, including working in factories, offices, and other positions traditionally held by men. This period also brought significant challenges regarding reproductive health and family planning, particularly concerning the use of abortifacients.
The Social and Economic Context
World War I dramatically altered family dynamics and social norms. With many men away at the front, women were left to manage households and support families on their own. The financial strain of wartime, coupled with the uncertainty and grief brought by the conflict, led many women to seek ways to control their family size. Contraception methods were limited, unreliable, and not widely accessible. In this context, abortifacients became a clandestine solution for many.
Legal and Medical Landscape
Abortion was illegal in the UK under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, which made it a criminal offense to procure a miscarriage. Despite the legal risks, the demand for abortifacients was significant. Women resorted to various methods, from traditional herbal remedies to more dangerous chemical concoctions. The medical community generally condemned these practices, but the harsh reality was that many women felt they had no other option.
Further, according to Angus McLaren in the scholarly article “Abortion in England, 1890-1914” in the journal Victorian Studies:
The Birkett Committee on abortion was later to report that “many mothers seem not to understand that self-induced abortion was illegal. They assumed it was legal before the third month, and only outside the law when procured by another person.” Working-class women clung to the traditional view that life was not present until the foetus quickened. They did not perceive themselves as pregnant but as irregular. They took pills, not to abort, but to “bring on their period.” Such attitudes were to be retained well into the twentieth century; an investigator of a Liverpool slum reported: “For example, [the resident of] Ship Street regards birth control as a sin but abortion before the age of three months a perfectly legitimate measure … Though so few of the Mums use contraceptives the majority have at some time or other tried to bring on an abortion. Pills, jumping down stairs, etc. are perfectly legitimate up to the end of the third month, after which the woman stops in case she hurts the baby.”²
Traditional and Folk Remedies
Abortifacients had been part of folk medicine for centuries. Women used a variety of herbs believed to induce miscarriage, including pennyroyal, tansy, and ergot. These remedies were often passed down through generations and shared among women in communities. However, the effectiveness and safety of these herbal abortifacients were highly questionable. Overdoses could lead to severe health complications or death, and the success rate of inducing miscarriage was inconsistent at best.
Towle’s Pills
Towle’s Pills–available from the Victorian era forward–were advertised on the front page of local British newspapers during World War I. They were marketed as a remedy for menstrual irregularities, but they were often used as an abortifacient. The pills contained potent purgatives like aloes and iron sulfate, which were believed to stimulate menstruation and, by extension, cause the termination of an early pregnancy. Despite being over-the-counter, Towle’s Pills were dangerous because of their harsh ingredients, which could cause severe cramping, dehydration, and hemorrhaging. The lack of medical supervision made their use particularly risky, often leading to complications that required hospitalization.
Chemical Abortifacients
In addition to herbal remedies, more modern but equally dangerous methods emerged during the Great War period. Women ingested substances such as quinine, turpentine, and even laundry bleach in attempts to terminate pregnancies. These chemical abortifacients were highly toxic and often caused severe, sometimes fatal, side effects. Ingesting these substances could lead to poisoning, organ damage, or lethal infections. One of the most common was diachylon.
Diachylon
Diachylon, another common abortifacient, was made from lead plaster. Its use as an abortifacient was clandestine, as it was originally intended for external medical use, particularly for dressing wounds. Women would ingest diachylon in an attempt to induce abortion, despite the severe toxicity of lead. Symptoms of lead poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, and neurological damage, which could be fatal. A blue line around the gums could be a telltale sign of diachylon ingestion. Chronic exposure to lead also caused long-term health problems, such as infertility and kidney damage. The use of diachylon highlights the desperation and lack of safe options available to women seeking to terminate pregnancies during this era.
Gunpowder
Remarkably, gunpowder was also used as an abortifacient, reflecting the extreme measures women would take. The belief was that the components of gunpowder—sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate—would somehow induce abortion. Women would ingest gunpowder mixed with liquids or food, often causing severe gastrointestinal distress and poisoning. The use of gunpowder as an abortifacient is a stark reminder of the desperation and misinformation surrounding reproductive health during World War I.
Gin and Quinine
Gin and quinine, though seemingly less hazardous, were also popular abortifacients. The consumption of large quantities of gin, often combined with hot baths or vigorous exercise, was thought to induce miscarriage. Quinine, a medication used to treat malaria, was believed to have abortifacient properties when taken in high doses. Both substances were more accessible than others, and their use was somewhat socially accepted compared to more clandestine methods. However, excessive consumption of gin could lead to alcohol poisoning, while high doses of quinine could cause cinchonism, characterized by symptoms like tinnitus, headache, nausea, and, in severe cases, death. These methods, while slightly less dangerous than others, still posed significant health risks.
The Role of Women in Wartime
The Great War significantly changed the roles and perceptions of women in society. Women took on jobs that were previously male-dominated, gained a sense of independence, and contributed to the war effort in crucial ways. However, this newfound responsibility also highlighted the difficulties of managing large families or unplanned pregnancies while maintaining war-related duties. The use of abortifacients can be seen as a response to the increased pressures and expectations placed on women during this time.
The Underground Network
Due to the illegality of abortion, an underground network of information and services developed. Women relied on each other for advice and shared knowledge about abortifacients discreetly. Midwives, although often working within the confines of the law, sometimes provided guidance or assistance. This whisper network operated in secrecy, reflecting the desperation and solidarity among women facing unwanted pregnancies.
The Consequences and Risks
The use of abortifacients during this period was fraught with risks. Aside from the immediate dangers of poisoning or infection, women faced legal consequences if their actions were discovered. Medical complications from unsafe abortion attempts often led to hospitalizations, where the true cause of their condition was frequently hidden to avoid legal repercussions. The stigma associated with abortion further isolated these women, making it difficult to seek help or support.
Case Studies and Personal Accounts
While specific records from the World War I period are scarce because of the clandestine nature of abortifacient use, personal diaries, letters, and oral histories provide glimpses into the experiences of women. These accounts reveal the emotional and physical toll of using abortifacients. Stories of women who suffered debilitating injuries or who died as a result of these practices underscore the dire circumstances many faced.
The Legacy
The use of abortifacients in the UK during WWI highlights the broader issues of reproductive rights and women’s health. This period underscored the need for safe, legal, and accessible contraception and abortion services. It wasn’t until the Abortion Act of 1967 that abortion became legal under certain conditions in the UK, a significant step towards addressing the dangers that women had faced for centuries.
Conclusion
The use of abortifacients in the UK during World War I reflects a period of immense hardship and limited reproductive healthcare options. Women resorted to dangerous methods such as Towle’s Pills, diachylon, turpentine, bleach, gunpowder, and large quantities of gin or quinine to terminate unwanted pregnancies. These substances were often toxic and led to severe health complications or death, highlighting the desperate measures women would take to manage their reproductive health.
The widespread use of these dangerous abortifacients underscored the urgent need for safe and effective reproductive healthcare during WWI. It also sheds light on the broader social and economic pressures that women faced during the war. As men went off to fight, women were left to navigate these challenges largely on their own, often with tragic consequences.
What do you think about how the use of abortifacients has–or hasn’t– evolved? Let me know in the comments.
If you want to learn how abortifacients figure into my historical fiction novel Roseleigh, please join my mailing list.
Notes and References
- T. S. Eliot, The Waste Land second section, “A Game of Chess,” 1922.
- Madeleine Kerr, The People of Ship Street, 1958. See also Moya Woodside, “Attitude of Women Abortionists,” The Howard Journal, 1963; Madeleine Simms, “Midwives and Abortion in the 1930s,” Midwife and Health Visitor, 1974.
Other Sources
Angus McLaren, “Abortion in England, 1890-1914,” Victorian Studies, Vol. 20, No. 4 (Summer, 1977).
Manon Parry, “From Plants to Pills: inducing abortion,” Historici.nl, April 14, 2022.
Picture Sources
- “Flos pavonis” from naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian, Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium, 1705. Merian noted that enslaved Indians and Africans in the Dutch colony of Surinam told her they used the seeds of this plant as an abortifacient.
- Imperial War Museum.
- Wellcome Library, London.
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