ABORTION AND MEDICAL PRACTICE [To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—May I shortly answer Lord Horder's letter, because we appear to be at cross-purposes ?
Naturally I was only referring to licensed practitioners, as unlicensed practitioners are outside the law. Similarly if the law were altered by the Bourne decision as Lord Horder appears to think, I should not have ventured to disagree with him. But if this were so there would obviously be no need for the Birkett Commission. I do not know the terms of reference to them but assume that they were appointed in order to recom- mend alterations of the law relating to abortion. Until that law has been altered in the only way in which it can be altered, viz., by Act of Parliament, I am still of opinion that my criticism of Lord Horder's article is sound. One may admire Dr. Bourne's courage in taking the law into his own hands, but it seems to me dear that this is what he did, though in the particular case it was obvious that the Prosecution did not desire to obtain a conviction. If a similar course were followed generally it would open the door to all manner of abuses.—
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