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'''Dr. Robert Douglas Spencer''' (1889 – 1969) was a general practitioner in [[Ashland, Pennsylvania|Ashland]], [[Pennsylvania]], best known for his work as an illegal abortionist in the decades prior to ''[[Roe vs. Wade]]''. He operated his practice from the 1920s until his death, and is believed to have performed some 40,000 [[abortions]].<ref name="concentric">[http://www.concentric.org/projects/spencer.html "Dear Dr. Spencer"]</ref> He was a graduate of the [[University of Pennsylvania]] Medical School<ref>[http://wings.buffalo.edu/mcjreview/930058946.html Review: "Dear Dr. Spencer]</ref>, graduating in 1915.<ref name="angel">[http://atheism.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/AngelAshland.htm "The Angel of Ashland", review by Austin Cline]</ref> He served in the U.S. Army, and worked for a few years as a chief pathologist in a miners' hospital.<ref name="angel"/> He was known for embracing cutting-edge treatments for [[black lung]] disease, and became one of the first doctors in the country to use sodium pentathol, radium pellets, and a bronchoscope.<ref name="angel"/>

'''Dr. Robert Douglas Spencer''' (1889 – 1969) was a general practitioner in [[Ashland, Pennsylvania|Ashland]], [[Pennsylvania]], best known for his work as an illegal abortionist in the decades prior to ''[[Roe vs. Wade]]''. He operated his practice from the 1920s until his death, and is believed to have performed some 40,000 [[abortions]].<ref name="concentric">[http://www.concentric.org/projects/spencer.html "Dear Dr. Spencer"]</ref> He was a graduate of the [[University of Pennsylvania]] Medical School,<ref>[http://wings.buffalo.edu/mcjreview/930058946.html Review: "Dear Dr. Spencer]</ref> graduating in 1915.<ref name="angel">[http://atheism.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/AngelAshland.htm "The Angel of Ashland", review by Austin Cline]</ref> He served in the U.S. Army, and worked for a few years as a chief pathologist in a miners' hospital.<ref name="angel"/> He was known for embracing cutting-edge treatments for [[black lung]] disease, and became one of the first doctors in the country to use sodium pentathol, radium pellets, and a bronchoscope.<ref name="angel"/>

Spencer reportedly performed his first abortion in either 1919<ref name="angel"/>, 1923<ref>[http://www.frif.com/new99/drspence.html "Dear Dr. Spencer" review by First Run Icarus Films]</ref> or 1925, for the wife of a coal miner.<ref name="concentric"/> Word spread through social networks that Spencer was willing to perform abortions, and women seeking abortions traveled from around the country to Ashland.<ref name="concentric"/> Spencer originally charged $5 for an abortion, and though the expense went up over the decades he reportedly never charged more than $100.<ref name="krassner">[http://www.nypress.com/16/34/news&columns/feature.cfm "News & Columns", Paul Krassner, ''New York Press'']</ref>

Spencer reportedly performed his first abortion in either 1919,<ref name="angel"/> 1923<ref>[http://www.frif.com/new99/drspence.html "Dear Dr. Spencer" review by First Run Icarus Films]</ref> or 1925, for the wife of a coal miner.<ref name="concentric"/> Word spread through social networks that Spencer was willing to perform abortions, and women seeking abortions traveled from around the country to Ashland.<ref name="concentric"/> Spencer originally charged $5 for an abortion, and though the expense went up over the decades he reportedly never charged more than $100.<ref name="krassner">[http://www.nypress.com/16/34/news&columns/feature.cfm "News & Columns", Paul Krassner, ''New York Press'']</ref>

The local residents were aware of his illegal practice, but either tolerated or welcomed it. "The hotel, the restaurant, the dress shop all thrived on the extra business that came from his out-of-town patients. He built facilities at his clinic for Negro patients who weren't allowed to obtain overnight lodgings elsewhere in Ashland."<ref name="krassner"/>

The local residents were aware of his illegal practice, but either tolerated or welcomed it. "The hotel, the restaurant, the dress shop all thrived on the extra business that came from his out-of-town patients. He built facilities at his clinic for Negro patients who weren't allowed to obtain overnight lodgings elsewhere in Ashland."<ref name="krassner"/>

[[Patricia G. Miller]], author of ''[[The Worst Of Times]]'', asked another doctor, "Dr. Bert," who had practiced before legalization, to review news reports of Mary's death and speculate as to whether Mary would have died had abortion been legal. "Dr. Bert" faulted Spencer for not having an assistant while he was administering general anesthesia, and speculated that Spencer had not had an assistant working with him due to the law against abortion.

[[Patricia G. Miller]], author of ''[[The Worst Of Times]]'', asked another doctor, "Dr. Bert," who had practiced before legalization, to review news reports of Mary's death and speculate as to whether Mary would have died had abortion been legal. "Dr. Bert" faulted Spencer for not having an assistant while he was administering general anesthesia, and speculated that Spencer had not had an assistant working with him due to the law against abortion.

Spencer's [[widow]], Eleanor, told Miller that her husband had been quite stricken by Mary Davies' death. He continued to perform abortions, however, along with his regular medical practice, up until the trial. He was acquitted on all counts, likely because it was impossible to prove that Mary hadn't either miscarried during those two weeks of bleeding prior to her appointment with Spencer, or been aborted by somebody else. <ref name="worst">''The Worst of Times'', Patricia G. Miller, Harpercollins 1993</ref>

Spencer's [[widow]], Eleanor, told Miller that her husband had been quite stricken by Mary Davies' death. He continued to perform abortions, however, along with his regular medical practice, up until the trial. He was acquitted on all counts, likely because it was impossible to prove that Mary hadn't either miscarried during those two weeks of bleeding prior to her appointment with Spencer, or been aborted by somebody else.<ref name="worst">''The Worst of Times'', Patricia G. Miller, Harpercollins 1993</ref>

== After the trial ==

== After the trial ==