 He told the court that he could not “draw a line between danger to life and danger to health; if one waited for danger to life the woman would be past assistance”.If the court recognised this to be a legitimate risk then it would fall under the exceptions to abortions of the Infant life (preservation) act, which they did.Serving as president of the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Section of the Royal Society of Medicine from 1938 to 1939, Bourne later wrote several important books including "A Synopsis of Midwifery and Gynaecology", "Recent Advances in Obstetrics and Gynecology" with Leslie Williams and was the co-editor of "British Obstetric and Gynaecological Practice" with Sir Eardley Holland.