At least this rant should be an interesting rant
So, in the interest of...not exceeding LJ's word count limit trying to recount the last two weeks, I'll just...talk about a subject I've talked a lot about to anyone who would listen over the last while. Especially since I had to turn of Law and Order: SVU again because oh my god, you people are judgmental. And no, I don't mean about the rapists
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There were known methods of contraception at this time, but since it was mostly spread by word-of-mouth it can be hard to research. True there were no diaphragms, but some women actually used the squeezed-out half of a lemon rind as a kind of cervical cap. The acidic lemon juice also helped neutralize sperm. Small sponges soaked in vinegar were also used in much the same way. Douching with a variety of solutions including alum was also used, mainly by prostitutes.
In addition to surgical abortions (which is what I think you are mostly referring to above) there were also all kinds of chemical abortifacents used. In addition to herbal concoctions there were also quite a few patent medicines available. If you look through old newspaper ads you can find references to preparations that could "restore blocked flows", etc. Which everyone knew what it meant but no one talked about. Of course, a lot of these things were either ineffective or just as likely to kill you as a botched surgical abortion.
I rather enjoy reading about the seamier side of history (just started 'Sex In Elizabethan England') so if you ever want to learn more about the kind of history they don't mention in most schools, I could recommend some reading for you.
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Richard Zacks has a couple of popular works that are a bit slapdash in their research (I've actually come across a couple of errors) but they are nonetheless a fun read and can be an interesting jumping-off point for some more detailed reading. 'History Laid Bare' and 'An Underground Education' are the titles.
Many of the books that touch on the subjects of practical contraception also touch on the lives of women most likely to use and talk about these things. Many of these women were sex workers, and many of the works I list talk about these issues in the context of their lives.
Another popular history book is 'Love For Sale - A World History of Prostitution'. It's a pretty comprehensive work but there are a couple of chapters specific to Europe and the 18-19 centuries.
A wonderfully fun and informative read is 'Sin and the Second City', which tells of the Everleigh sisters and their world-renowned brothel they opened on the south side of Chicago. (I went to a Steampunk event last Friday across the street from where their House stood - now it's modern apartment buildings). It touches on a lot of politics and social movements of the time, but there is also a lot of good info on how 'The Girls' lived.
Another overview, but more academic in tone is 'Sex In History' by Reay Tannahill.
And finally very academic but hard to track down is 'The Physician and Sexuality in Victorian America' by John and Robin Haller.
Inter-library loan should get you started on some of these, and i have a couple more general works that touch on the subject but I'd have to sort through them and figure out which ones.
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