Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-25

Heretofore IL mas ueel assumed ina al
suicides are insane, and hence, that their
conduct cannot be tested by the known
laws of human action. 50 far as passion
or momentary loss Of self command is
considered insanity, this may be true.
In France, however, a different theory is
being promulgated, and DIR. BOisnent,
an eminent physician, has recently pub
lished a treatise on suicide; in which he
subjects the whole question TO q search
ing analysis, in accordance with the
mental and physical laws governing
mans nature
The doctor maintains that 'if the
motives of suicide, and the laws which
govern and control them, can be even
approximately determined, a Great step
viii have been gained, both by improv-
ing the pathology of the malady, and by
diminishing its active predisposing
causes" This is u~ndOubtedlF true. Vast
discoveries are being daily made in diff
ferenu sciences, and there can be no
reason why investigation and pains
taking analysis in the direction pointed
out by DR.. BOismOnt may not produce
The most fortunate results.
The Causes producing or p~redispOsing
70 suicide, whatever they may be, seem
10 run in cycles. For a long period com
paratively few suicides will occur in a
particular country or locality. Then the
disease, or whateverit may be, will break
out, and case follow case with fearful
rapidity. Again, particular modes Of
self destruction seem TO prevail at partic-
ular times. At one time drowning
is sIl the rage, al another pOison-then
fire arms or knife viii be used, and at
period in France so great was the
mania for jumping from high towers
thai all such places were closed against
the public. Upon general data such as
these the investigations Of DR.. Boismont
are founded.
The tables attached TO the treatise of
Dr.. BolSmont make it appear that there
Is not much truth in the generally re-
ceived impression that tenacity 70 life in
creases with old age. On the contrary.
il appears that the proportion Of suicides
is greater between the ages Of seventy
and eighty than between the ages Of
thirty and forty. Another widely spread
popular fallacy is that suicides are most
frequent during the gloomy months Of
the year. But the incOntestible eviden-
ces Of figures show that they actually oc-
cur most rarely in November and De-
cember, aud are the most frequent in the
months Of May, June and July.
Nor Is il the case that the dark hours
of the tweuty-fur are those generally
selected for the performance Of these
dark deeds Of horror; two thousand and
ninety-four suicides take place by dav-
light against only six hundred and fftv-
eight by night. 1t is also ascertained
that the low countries furnish the most
numerous cases OF self-murder; the
mountain districts are generally the
lowest in the list. In four thousand five
hundred and ninety-fve cases analvzed
10y DR.. B0ismont, there were one thous-
and five hundred and eighty single men
and five hundred and seventy-nine sin
gle women; one thousand one hun
dred and t~wenty-niue married
men and five hundred and fifteen
married women two hundred and fifty I
wid0wers, and two hundred and eleven /
widows. Thirty thousand nine hundred I
and tweuty-three persons committed Sill
eide in France between the years eiyb-
hundred and twenty-sevep and
eighteen hundred and sixty. TIE fol- |
are the means used and the rela-
tive proportion Of each strangulatioD
Thousand eight hundred and
s-xty-sIx drowning, eleven thousand
hundred and fOrty-fve fire arms
four thousand three hundred and ninety:
three thousand two hundred
and tWenly-lour sharp instruments.
one thousand i've hundred and TWENTY
two; leaps, thousand three hundred
and eighty poison, seven hundred 4
and thirty-siX. The treatise Of DR.. Bois-
mont is exceedingly interesting, and the
can not fail 20 arrest the atten-
ion Of philanthropists.