Lizzie Borden had multiple health issues in Netflix’s Monster, but what was actually true?

Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story gives Lizzie several health problems, including heavy menstrual bleeding, but how much of it is actually true?

Lizzie Borden is shown dealing with painful periods, heavy menstrual bleeding and an imperforate hymen in Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.

So, did the real Lizzie Borden actually have all those health issues?

In Monster, Lizzie experiences extremely painful periods and heavy bleeding. At one point, her menstrual blood is even shown staining Abby’s white upholstered sofa.

But there is no evidence that the real Lizzie suffered from periods that were unusually painful or heavy. There is, however, a documented connection between Lizzie’s menstruation and the investigation into the murders.

After Andrew and Abby were killed, investigators searched the Borden home and found bloody cloths in a bucket in the basement washroom. Lizzie explained that the cloths were connected to her period.

According to CBS News, Lizzie told investigators she was menstruating at the time. Her explanation was reportedly confirmed by the Borden family doctor, so investigators did not further analyse the cloths.

It was reported that police found only two instances of blood evidence connected to Lizzie herself: A tiny spot on her underwear and the bucket containing the bloody cloths.

The menstrual blood also became part of later speculation about whether the bucket could have contained evidence from the murders. 

Did Lizzie Borden really have an imperforate hymen?

One of the more unusual health storylines in Monster involves Lizzie being diagnosed with an imperforate hymen. The condition is real. According to the Cleveland Clinic, an imperforate hymen is when the hymen completely blocks the vaginal opening. It can cause painful symptoms and can also prevent menstrual blood from leaving the body.

In the series, Bridget “Maggie” Sullivan becomes concerned about Lizzie’s menstrual problems and determines that she has the condition. But there is no historical record showing that Lizzie was diagnosed with an imperforate hymen.

People described this part of Lizzie’s story as completely made up for the series. There is also no evidence that she underwent the treatment shown in Monster because of such a condition.

Was Lizzie really given morphine after the murders?

Following Andrew and Abby’s deaths, Lizzie was described as being extremely distressed. Her family doctor, Dr Seabury Bowen, treated her in the days after the murders.

According to trial testimony, Bowen first gave Lizzie a preparation called bromo caffeine. When asked what it was for, Bowen said it was “for quieting nervous excitement and headache.”

He later testified that he prescribed sulphate of morphine for Lizzie. Bowen said he gave her one-eighth of a grain of morphine on the Friday night before increasing the dose the next day. He was asked whether she continued taking it, and said that she did. He testified that she continued receiving the morphine while she was at the police station.

Lizzie’s inquest testimony was eventually ruled inadmissible at her murder trial because of this. She had not been given proper legal counsel and had not been warned that her statements could be incriminating. Her treatment with morphine was also raised when her mental state during questioning was discussed.

The New York Times reported in June 1893 that Lizzie’s inquest testimony would not be used against her at trial.

What about Lizzie’s health later in life?

Monster also leaves out the health problems Lizzie experienced much later. The series finishes Lizzie’s story years before her death, rather than following her through her final years. In real life, Lizzie lived until 1927. She died on June 1 at the age of 66.

Before her death, she underwent surgery to remove her gallbladder. According to The Herald News, Lizzie entered the hospital under the name “Mary Smith Borden” and was given a private room. Reports later said she had undergone surgery about three weeks earlier and was “well on the way of convalescence”.

But she did not fully recover. The New York Times reported after her death that Lizzie had remained in poor health following the operation.

In the final week of her life, The Fall River Daily Globe reported that she had been suffering from pneumonia for about a week. The New Bedford Evening Standard, meanwhile, reported that she died from heart disease. Her death record lists myocarditis as the cause of death.

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