fession, and to this extent the law
was, at least in part, a deterrent against laxity of practice.

The Committee considers that, as it stands, the law has shown itself
adaptable in practice to all reasonable changes in medical thought.

Further, the Committee was impressed by the possible dangers which
might be associated with any alteration in the existing law.

While it is undoubtedly true that the majority of doctors are
straightforward and honest in their interpretation of the indications
for therapeutic abortion, it was made clear that even at the present
time there are some who are inclined to terminate pregnancy for reasons
which would not be accepted by most.

It would be quite impossible to lay down a hard-and-fast list of
indications.

There are definite grounds for fearing that any alteration in the law
would lead, in certain quarters, to a widening of the interpretations
far beyond the intention of the alteration.

Under any alteration it would be exceedingly difficult to control the
merging of the therapeutic into the social and economic reasons.

For these reasons, then, the Committee is not prepared to suggest any
alteration in the law regarding therapeutic abortion; the Committee
believes, however, that some benefit might accrue from the compulsory
notification of all abortions to the Medical Officer of Health.

_Abortion for Social and Economic Reasons._--Having received certain
representations in favour of this practice, and having examined a large
mass of evidence on this subject, the Committee is utterly opposed to
any consideration of the legalization of abortion for social and
economic reasons.

The Committee does not hesitate to state its first objection on moral
grounds.

That the deliberate destruction of embryo human lives should be allowed
for all the varying and indeterminate reasons suggested by different
advocates would lead the way to intolerable license.

We would draw your attention and that of the public to the extreme
views which are held by some of the most active advocates of legalized
abortion.

In its most blatant form this advocacy is based on the argument of
woman's right to determine for herself whether a pregnancy shall
continue or not.

"The right to abortion should be taken quite away from legal
technicality and legal controversy. Up to the viability of her
child it is as much a woman's right as the removal of a dangerously
diseased appendix.