The laws were passed from 1860 to 1880 to counter an epidemic of induced abortions among married protestant women physicians were largely responsible for their passage however abortion legislation was only one goal of the physicians crusade against abortion as it was termed by historian james c mohr the other was to convince women to continue unwanted pregnancies the physicians were highly successful in enacting stringent anti abortion laws they were not as successful in . The physicians crusade against abortion by frederick n dyer few if any academic works have had the impact on abortion of james mohrs 1978 book abortion in america the origins and evolution of national policy 1800 1900 it is routinely and erroneously cited as proof positive that the 19th century physicians crusade against abortion had nothing to do with unborn babies and much to . In the physicians crusade against abortion dyer shows that there were scores of anti abortion physicians whose efforts followed storers 1859 american medical association report on criminal. Physicians crusade against abortion had a significant impact on the recommendations of the american medical association in his day this is a story which would be largely forgotten were the physicians crusade against abortion by frederick n dyer 2005 watson publishing international po box 1240 sagamore beach ma 02562 phone 508 888 9113 fax 508 888 3733 email orders orderswatsonpublishingcom web