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The Massacre Of The Innocents: Infanticide In Britain, 1800-1939
Before contraception was generally available, and when abortion was fraught with danger, infanticide was a common solution to the problem of unwanted children. Massacre of the Innocents, first published in 1986, shows the causes and consequences of the high tide of infanticide in Victorian Britain.Lionel Rose describes the ways in which unwanted and 'surplus' infants were disposed of, and the economic and social pressures on women to rid themselves of their burdens by covert criminal and sub-criminal means. He discusses the activities of infanticidal and abortionist midwives, and shows how the practices of wet nursing and baby farming were closely related to infanticide. Unscrupulous insurance salesman even turned infanticide into a profitable business, in their reckless grab for commissions. Infanticide declined with the growing practice of contraception, the lessening of pressure of unmarried mothers, and as adoption was made easier.This is a hard-hitting, scrupulously documented piece of social history. This title will be of interest to students of history and criminology.
- GenresTrue CrimeHistory
215 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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January 3, 2023
It is a couple of month’s since I finished reading the book so this review will be brief.
Despite the slightly overplayed title, Massacre of the Innocents, is an objective and engaging survey of infanticide, other almost infanticides (the practice of killing infants whilst they were in process of birth) and the rise of baby-farming. It is a horrendous and soul-destroying survey but one expertly completed.
In the midst of horrid poverty it is perhaps understandable why desperate people did what they could to avoid a further mouth to feed but the real impact of the book is that what would today be horrendous wrongs – such as new-born children being left to die in the cold were not actually that rare. And, more than that, the prevalence of some progressive voices adopting something like Malthussian approaches sanctifying the intentional extermination of large swathes of society’s youngest persons.
Reading the book now, especially in the context of the renewed threat to abortion rights, does make you fear what that future will hold. That of course was not Rose’s intent in writing the book but it was what I took away.
Given the subject matter, I cannot say the book is entertaining but it is certainly a serious and engaging read. Recommended.
Despite the slightly overplayed title, Massacre of the Innocents, is an objective and engaging survey of infanticide, other almost infanticides (the practice of killing infants whilst they were in process of birth) and the rise of baby-farming. It is a horrendous and soul-destroying survey but one expertly completed.
In the midst of horrid poverty it is perhaps understandable why desperate people did what they could to avoid a further mouth to feed but the real impact of the book is that what would today be horrendous wrongs – such as new-born children being left to die in the cold were not actually that rare. And, more than that, the prevalence of some progressive voices adopting something like Malthussian approaches sanctifying the intentional extermination of large swathes of society’s youngest persons.
Reading the book now, especially in the context of the renewed threat to abortion rights, does make you fear what that future will hold. That of course was not Rose’s intent in writing the book but it was what I took away.
Given the subject matter, I cannot say the book is entertaining but it is certainly a serious and engaging read. Recommended.
Displaying 1 of 1 review