recruited by Reg Rankin, who was trying to legitimize his abortion syndicate after a recent patient almost died of an infection. In later years, Ruth would deeply regret the decision to help run the clinic in Reno as one of the worst decisions of her career. Upon arriving, she found that the clinic was not properly set up or supplied, and after performing her first procedure there her patient developed an infection. This led to her first arrest, which was a huge embarrassment for a woman who prided herself on her safety record and skills as a practitioner. She was eventually released from custody after providing information about the abortion syndicate she was working for, then she fled back to Portland. After the Reno incident, Ruth continued to work at the Stewart Clinic. In the postwar period following World War II, there was an increased crackdown on the enforcement of abortion laws. Additionally, the new mayor of Portland, Dorothy McCullough Lee, had promised to crack down on crime within the city. In 1951, she was arrested for the first time in Portland, Oregon. This began a long relationship with the police. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Ruth was periodically in jail. Despite her regular interactions with law enforcement, Ruth continued to run her clinic. In fact, Stewart Clinic remained open for 33 years. In 1968, when Ruth was 73, the stints in jail and health problems forced Ruth into retirement. References American abortion providers American chiropractors 1969 deaths 1895 births