Harvey Karman
Encyclopedia
Harvey Karman was a psychologist and the inventor of the Karman cannula, a flexible suction cannula
used for early abortion
. Karman trained members of the Jane Collective
in Chicago
in the use of the Karman cannula.
motel
room, who subsequently died. He was convicted of providing abortion, which was illegal in California at the time. He served two and a half years in state prison.
abortions with little training or equipment. The coils were inserted into the uterus
, where they caused irritation leading to the expulsion of the fetus
. However, both of Karman's documented trials with super coils were failures.
The first trial took place in Bangladesh
. Karman had been invited there by the government of Bangladesh and by the International Planned Parenthood Federation
, to perform abortions on women who had been raped by soldiers. Karman augmented his super coils with pieces of balsa
wood. The women suffered a high rate of complications, leading health officials to investigate.
The second trial took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, on May 8, 1972. The Jane Collective
in Chicago
had been raided, and the members who performed abortions jailed. The remaining members arranged to take a bus
load of women to Philadelphia, for abortions to be performed by Karman and an assistant. The abortions were performed at an abortion clinic
that was openly operating, in violation of Pennsylvania law. A local woman's group, outraged that the women were being subjected to an untested and possibly unsafe abortion method, protested outside the clinic, letting the air out of the bus tires. A public television crew from a station in New York
filmed the procedures at Karman's invitation.
Keeping inadequate records, working well into the night, the abortion team managed to pack the 15 patients selected for "super coil" abortions by the early morning hours.
One woman ended up hospitalized in Pennsylvania due to lacerations. Others needed to be hospitalized upon return to Chicago. Local health authorities contacted the Centers for Disease Control, which investigated and found that two of the patients had been lost to follow-up, one required a hysterectomy, one was hospitalized for twenty days with infection, and one continued to bleed until she became anemic. In total, nine of the 13 patients who could be tracked down had suffered complications.
The CDC suggested that,
Karman was the father of Janice Karman
, a singer-songwriter better known as Theodore Chipmunk of Alvin and the Chipmunks
.
Cannula
A cannula or canula is a tube that can be inserted into the body, often for the delivery or removal of fluid or for the gathering of data...
used for early abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Karman trained members of the Jane Collective
Jane Collective
The Jane Collective was an underground abortion service which operated in Chicago, Illinois from 1969 to 1973. The collective was started by women when they realized that many illegal abortion providers were not doctors. Since illegal abortions were also dangerous and very expensive, founding...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in the use of the Karman cannula.
Conviction
In 1955, Karman, a dropout from UCLA's School of Theatre Arts who never attended medical school or held a degree in psychology, used a nutcracker to perform an abortion on a woman in a CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
room, who subsequently died. He was convicted of providing abortion, which was illegal in California at the time. He served two and a half years in state prison.
"Super coils"
Karman also developed the "super coil" abortion technique, which he believed would enable lay practitioners to perform second-trimesterPregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
abortions with little training or equipment. The coils were inserted into the uterus
Uterus
The uterus or womb is a major female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organ of most mammals including humans. One end, the cervix, opens into the vagina, while the other is connected to one or both fallopian tubes, depending on the species...
, where they caused irritation leading to the expulsion of the fetus
Fetus
A fetus is a developing mammal or other viviparous vertebrate after the embryonic stage and before birth.In humans, the fetal stage of prenatal development starts at the beginning of the 11th week in gestational age, which is the 9th week after fertilization.-Etymology and spelling variations:The...
. However, both of Karman's documented trials with super coils were failures.
The first trial took place in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Karman had been invited there by the government of Bangladesh and by the International Planned Parenthood Federation
International Planned Parenthood Federation
The International Planned Parenthood Federation is a global non-governmental organization with the broad aims of promoting sexual and reproductive health, and advocating the right of individuals to make their own choices in family planning. It was first formed in 1952 in Bombay, India, and now...
, to perform abortions on women who had been raped by soldiers. Karman augmented his super coils with pieces of balsa
Balsa
Ochroma pyramidale, commonly known as the balsa tree , is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is a large, fast-growing tree that can grow up to tall. It is the source of balsa wood, a very lightweight material with many uses...
wood. The women suffered a high rate of complications, leading health officials to investigate.
The second trial took place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, on May 8, 1972. The Jane Collective
Jane Collective
The Jane Collective was an underground abortion service which operated in Chicago, Illinois from 1969 to 1973. The collective was started by women when they realized that many illegal abortion providers were not doctors. Since illegal abortions were also dangerous and very expensive, founding...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
had been raided, and the members who performed abortions jailed. The remaining members arranged to take a bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
load of women to Philadelphia, for abortions to be performed by Karman and an assistant. The abortions were performed at an abortion clinic
Abortion clinic
An abortion clinic is a medical facility that primarily performs or specializes in abortions. Such clinics may be public medical centers or private medical practices.-Canada:*There were 197 abortion providers in Canada in 2001....
that was openly operating, in violation of Pennsylvania law. A local woman's group, outraged that the women were being subjected to an untested and possibly unsafe abortion method, protested outside the clinic, letting the air out of the bus tires. A public television crew from a station in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
filmed the procedures at Karman's invitation.
Keeping inadequate records, working well into the night, the abortion team managed to pack the 15 patients selected for "super coil" abortions by the early morning hours.
One woman ended up hospitalized in Pennsylvania due to lacerations. Others needed to be hospitalized upon return to Chicago. Local health authorities contacted the Centers for Disease Control, which investigated and found that two of the patients had been lost to follow-up, one required a hysterectomy, one was hospitalized for twenty days with infection, and one continued to bleed until she became anemic. In total, nine of the 13 patients who could be tracked down had suffered complications.
The CDC suggested that,
"Until the super-coil abortion technique is demonstrated to be safe in the hands of competent medical personnel and in a controlled research setting, the CDC findings suggest that it is not appropriate for use by paramedical personnel."
Karman was the father of Janice Karman
Janice Karman
Janice Felice Karman is an American film producer, record producer, singer, and voice artist. She is the co-owner of Bagdasarian Productions with her husband Ross Bagdasarian, Jr....
, a singer-songwriter better known as Theodore Chipmunk of Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
.