Talk:Frederick J. Taussig

Quotation from 1910 book was correctly presented and should not be removed

It's clear from the paragraph containing the phrase wholesale slaughter of the innocents that Taussig was referring to the fetus or embryo, not to women who perished in illegal abortions. Here is the entire paragraph from p. 80-81 that contains the phrase:

It is to be hoped that before long laws will be enacted that will more effectually protect the community against the "Wholesale Slaughter of the Innocents." Of late there has been a reversal of opinion in favor of a little more paternalism in our government. The government supervision of banks and trusts and other business affairs will, I believe, be followed by a stricter government supervision on matters of health. At present the matter of recording births is left to the community. It is essentially a matter of interest to the Federal government, for at each birth a future citizen of the Republic comes to life. In similar wise the State or Federal government should control the matter of abortions. I am firmly convinced that if every abortion, no matter what the cause, would have to be officially reported, it would prove a long step ahead in the way of correcting present evils. Moreover, independent of its effect upon this question, the government is entitled to know of the death of any living being, whether that being has advanced to full-term development or not. It is time that the antiquated ideas of modern law as to when life begins be modified in accordance with our present knowledge. Life begins with conception.