ILLINOIS BANS PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTIONS

Illinois has just joined a growing list of states that have banned partial-birth abortions. Over the past two years, nearly 20 states have passed bans on this brutal and unconscionable procedure. More than a score of other states are considering measures to ban the procedure.

Partial-birth abortion is best understood as a form of infanticide -- the murder of an infant. Unrecognized in the medical literature, denounced by physicians expert in crisis pregnancy and even by many abortionists, this procedure isn't taught in any medical school in the world. It involves artificial dilation of the cervix over a 48-hour period. Then the abortionist reaches inside the uterus with forceps, grabbing the baby's leg to turn it around and effect a breech delivery. Next, he drags the baby nearly all the way out of the birth canal, until only the head remains inside the mother. Jamming scissors into the base of the skull, he opens them to cause a huge hole, inserts a suction tube and sucks out the brains. The baby's head collapses, making it easier to deliver the tiny corpse.

No civilized society can tolerate such a practice. Earlier this year, Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan joined President Bill Clinton in vetoing a version of this measure and, like Clinton, had his veto sustained. These are acts that Missouri voters won't forget.

Good for Illinois lawmakers. We hope their action will spur their counterparts in Missouri to redouble their efforts to pass a tough bill outlawing this gruesome procedure and confront Carnahan once again.