the Pacific Northwest, and she was beginning to specialize in abortions when she met Ruth. Throughout the course of their friendship, Ruth would visit Griff, listening attentively to the stories she told about her practice. Following Ruth's divorce from Cohen, she decided to pursue a career as an abortion provider with the help of Dr. Griff. Early career At the age of 23, Ruth began working for Dr. Griff as an assistant. They worked closely for eleven years, with Griff allowing Ruth to stand in during operations to learn abortion techniques. Eventually Ruth was able to perform the operations herself, concluding that this was her life's work. Ruth parted uneasily with Alys eleven years later, partly due to growing disagreements about Ruth's role in the practice. Hoping to strike out on her own, she opened a small business that ultimately failed. That same year, she began to collaborate with Dr. George Watts, the same physician who gave her an abortion in 1911. Not only did Dr. Watts expand her knowledge of abortion techniques, he also helped her get a license to practice medicine. Ruth enrolled in a two-year chiropractor program, which placed an emphasis on naturopathy. After receiving her certification and apprenticing under Dr. Watts for another five years, Ruth began her independent career by buying the practices of several retiring physicians. Despite the fact that abortions had been illegal in Oregon since 1854, Ruth was able to begin her long career as an abortion provider. She opened the Stewart Clinic in Portland, Oregon during the 1930s. The police paid little to no attention to her practice, as anti-abortion laws were rarely enforced at that time unless maternal death occurred. When she opened her practice, America was starting to feel the effects of the Great Depression. Because very few people could afford to have more children to feed, Ruth's practice was incredibly sought after. Ruth made about $182,000 per year at this practice, which is the modern equivalent of about $3,250,000 per year. Despite her lack of legal certification, she maintained the highest safety record of practicing abortion providers in the area, including licensed practitioners. In fact, the majority of her patients were referred to her by properly licensed practitioners. Later career and trouble with the law Though her clinic remained open, in 1940 Ruth was recruited to help operate a sect of abortion clinics in Reno, Nevada. She was