Alice Ada Coe

Alice Ada Coe died from peritonitis and acute nephritis from septic abortion following an illegal operation.

She already had five children.

It was said that her injuries were the result of instrumental interference.

At her inquest, the coroner said that there was no evidence regarding when, where or by whom the instrument was passed, and an open verdict was returned.

Alice Coe was admitted to Hounslow Hospital on 11 December 1941 suffering from an incomplete abortion, but she was too ill to undergo an operation and she died on 21 December 1941.

Her sister said that Alice Coe had told her that she was pregnant and that she was scared of another confinement as she had been ill. However, whilst the sister said that she knew that Alice Coe was taking more than the ordinary doses of certain pills, she said that Alice Coe never mentioned anything about using an instrument.

The pathologist that carried out the post-mortem on Alice Coe said that in his opinion, death was due to peritonitis and acute nephritis from septic abortion, the result of the use of an instrument which, it was possible, that Alice Coe could have used herself.

Alice Coe's husband, an aircraft engineer, said that Alice Coe had five children, the youngest being six years old and that she had had four previous miscarriages. He said that she had told him that she had determined not to have another baby but didn't say what steps she intended taking to prevent it. He said that he tried to talk her off the idea and said that she later seemed so jolly that he thought that she would have gone through with it.

However, he said that on 10 December 1941 he found Alice Coe suffering from sickness and the following day he called in a doctor who said that she was suffering from a miscarriage and advised her removal to hospital. However, he said that he could not enlighten the coroner as to what Alice Coe had done.