so is charged it would be unfair
to convict the abortionist. The fact that if the woman was charged
she could not be called as a witness, and that, without her
evidence, there would be no case, does not appear to weigh with
them."

It would therefore appear that legalized exemption of the woman would
not be a remedy.

The very serious statement has been made that--

"In many cases professional abortionists have the assistance of one
particular doctor who attends their patients when medical skill
becomes necessary. The doctor either treats the patient
successfully or sends her to hospital on his own personal note, and
in neither case does the identity of the abortionist come to light.
There is reason to believe that in many such cases the assistance
of the doctor is given knowingly and in collaboration with the
abortionist contrary to the rule laid down in Sydney Smith's
'Forensic Medicine,' 3rd edition, page 362, that 'It is no part of
a doctor's duty to act as a detective, but it is equally certain
that it is no part of his duty to act as a screen for the
professional abortionist.'"

The Committee would earnestly draw the attention of the responsible
medical authorities to the suggestion that there are even a few members
of the profession who are prepared to "cover" the abortionist when
difficulties arise.

It is quite well realized that there are many occasions on which the
general practitioner quite innocently comes in contact with these
cases: that is an entirely different matter.

It is a further complaint of the police that they are hampered by the
fact that rarely are they notified of a case of criminal abortion until
the woman's condition is so critical that it is impossible to obtain a
statement from her, and if she dies the evidence she might have given
is lost. Without such evidence there is little chance of successfully
prosecuting the abortionist.

To overcome this difficulty it has been advocated that, where a patient
is admitted to hospital and is suspected to be suffering from the
effects of criminal abortion, it should be the duty of the responsible
medical officer of the hospital to notify the police forthwith and
supply all the information in his possession.

This suggestion, however, involving as it does the confidential
relationship between doctor and patient, is open to serious objections.

It is proposed to consider the po