New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-25
Pleasant Modes of Suicfde.

A Sunday paper, rejecting on the death 9
Walker from hemlock poisoning, ventures
the inquiry if those who are tired of the
pains and trials of this life and are willing
to Jump the life to come" may not, now
| that hemlOck has proven to be painless
poison, be tempted to fly to it as pleasan,
source Of relief from worldly cares and
tribulatiOns. 1t does not, however, appear
| from the narrative of the effects OF cOnium
as exhibited in the case of Walker. that his
was painless death, and would be there
fore adopted by suicides; nor is it by any
means established that the only death
| which we now know is more or less conse.
qurnt upon physical agony and cOnvusiOn,
| or that if an easy falling asleep once dis
covered would induce frequent suicide.
| The luDatics who commit suicide do
not always choose the painless methods
Of ending existence, because they
| are lunatlca. Death by the fumes
| "f carbOhic acid gas emitted from burning
charcoal Ii painless, yet few choose it.
ffusslC ACID produces an easy death, but
The instances are exceedingly rare in which
| 1t has been resOrted to by suicides, and there
are numerous drugs which kill without Oc-
carloning pain or physical distress, which
the suicide never make S use Of. Death from
exposure to excessive cold ia perhaps the
E1ost tranquil Or delightful form of dissolu.
ton, but 1t is extremely questionable if
suicide is SO deliberate an act that an in
dl>ldual calmly and philosOphcaly con.
tempiaring self destruction would be willing
TO Wal until the thermometer fell 200 or
30' below zero before he determined to put
bis long settled resolve into execution, The
TACT Ia that suicide Is always, or nearly
always, a sudden and urprtmed itated act,
and Is accomplished By means that are of
most convenient access. Drowning is the
means most usually selected. because it is
mn Lt 1a1 h. - AE.,1
one In a hundred who resorts to that mode
OF death Is aware that it liz not only an easy,
but ia, ii we may be allowed the ex preston.
u most EMO, able death. The struggles at
the outset are said to be prompted BY
terror. not by pain, which commences
later, and IS succeeded by pleasing Ian
guor gentleman OF veracity, who was
drowned and afterward restored to life, |
stated that he had not experienced the |
SHY htest feeling of cuff .cation The stream |
was transparent, the day brilliant, and as |
he stood upright, lie could see the sun |
SHINING through the water, with q dreamy |
CONSCIOUSNESS that his eyes were about to
ne closed upon II forever. Yet he neither
feared hls tate. nor wished to avert it.
sleepy stDsa ion, which smo0the and graft
tied HIM, made luxurious bed OF a waterv
grave. Another, who WAS drowned and |
restored, said that such was his delight in
cropping at the bottom, that a feeling of
anger parsed through his mind against
he p-rsous who pulled him out. Similar
pleasing sensations attend death by hang
such are not taken into ac.
cunt by those who select that method of |
which is, next to drown.
ng and shooting, perhaps the most usual
ho-en Nv suicides. Ii suicides were not
eally temporary lunatics, they would die
y the most agreeable method. because
hey would die Il, liberately. But they are
ways in IA hurry. Their act is an i'm.
ulslve one and they have not time to
h""se between any means oT death and an
fher. especially when they would meet
ith the OH crions of the druggists to trus-
ate them in seeking to put an end to their
k,stence bv means OF narcotic and sed-
Ives that are VIGOROUSLY the most deadly.
Nesc York Ncrs