The word “miscarriage” is generally preferred to that of “abortion” under the misconception that only the latter implies criminal culpability; this, of course, is an error, because each word means exactly the same thing, with this difference, that one is of Latin origin, while the other is a plain Anglo-Saxon term. An abortion that is brought about, from other than natural causes, for the deliberate and avowed purpose of escaping from the inconvenience, privation, and cares of maternity, is always qualified by the adjective _criminal_. In the early months of pregnancy, it very seldom, though it occasionally does happen, that complications arise which place the life of the mother in imminent danger; that the embryo shares this danger in a corresponding degree is self-evident, because the fetus is unable to live independently of the mother any time before the expiration of the sixth month of gestation, so that the death of the mother means death to the fetus also. Through a fall, heavy lifting, or a sudden jar, a partial detachment is liable to occur between the placenta of the fetus and the wall of the mother’s womb, that being the place where the blood of the one is exchanged into the blood of the other; from this, a hemorrhage may result, which will not yield to rest nor to other means which experience has taught to be useful. This loss of blood may be so great that, if it continues, the life of both will be sacrificed. In some women pregnancy may become complicated with convulsions; these may be so violent, and recur so often, as to threaten life, and they are obstinate to all medicinal resources. Contingencies of the above nature evoked the scientific inquiry, whether abortions are ever justifiable. The answer must invariably be, that when it is clearly seen that the mother will surely die, and her fetus with her, an induced abortion becomes a justifiable obstetric resource, and under these circumstances it is not a crime nor even a sacrifice of the embryo, which would have perished with the mother. This rule of practice has been endorsed by the very highest authority in obstetric science, and the competent conscientious physician will readily draw the line between cases where so radical a measure becomes necessary, and where milder conservative measures will save the life of both mother and child. This cannot be a license for crime, except that the sordidly depraved time server may often try to stretch the threatening danger, but when this is done it is no less a crime of murder in the eyes of God, than if he had premeditatedly and willfully slain a fellow-being.