Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-14
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SELF.DESTRUCTION.
IN INEYPLICABLE PHENOMENON ON THE
BORDERLANDS OF INSANITY.

BORDERLANDS OF INSANITY.
1t is very prevalent but erroneous belief
that suicide is invariably preceded by insan-
ity. Self-destruction is always an unnat-
ural act, and violation of the laws of ma
ture, but it is not, therefore, necessarily an
insane act. On the contrary large minor
ity-some authorities say the majority-of
suicidal acts are perpetrated by persons who
cannot be called other than sane, though
their mental state is indisputably more or
less abnormal at the time, and the organic
action of the strain and nervous system
sometimes in a state of excitement bor-
dering on real pathological irritation. DIR.
Wynter affirms the suicidal impulse to be
'an inexplicable phenomenon on the bor-
derlands Of insanity" the power of the will
to conquer any impulse is the sole difference
between healthy and an unsOund mind.
But self destruction is not, as rule, the out
come of mere impulse, but an act of shorter
or longer deliberation, and brought about
by some cause, which may be either real or
imaginary; and here we have the simple
test for distinguishing between sane and in
sane suicides, namely, the absence or pres
ence of delusions. Outside Of insanity, the
passions and emotions are generally at the
root of self-murder; remorse, dread of eX-
posure and punishment, long wearing sor-
row or disease, or hopeless poverty, are the
usual causes for an act which is generally re-
garded with too great equanimity and oc-
casionally even with commiseration, being
looked upon as catastrophe rather than
a crime," although condemned by the relig-
ion and the laws of the land. With luna
tics, the causes melting to the act are mainly,
if not wholly, imaginary or delusional;
they often fancy they hear voices per-
petually urging them to destroy themselves,
and these supposed supernatural commands
they generally obey either sooner or later.
Men in prosperous circumstances have fire.
quently been known to make away with
themselves from fear of poverty and want;
others have perhaps committed some tri-
fling act of delinquency, which they mag
nifty into an objectionable offence, only to
sons will kill those dear to them, especially
their own children, before destroying them
selves, probably with the view of preserv-.
ing them from so wretched a lot as they
conceive their own to be. There is usually
previously i'll health and depression, with
great desire for solitude, in these cases OF
suicide by the insane, many of which could
be prevented by the timely exercise OF
proper care and supervision.
Melancholia is the name given to that
form of delusional insanity, or partial NOR
al mania, which chiefly manifests itself in a
desire for self-destruction. Hypochondriacs
may be said to be in the first stage of this,
and in the first stage, very fortunately,
would be a blessing and are constantly talk
ing about killing themselves; but they are
very irresolute, and if they do summon up
courage enough to make the attempt it is
generally abortive and not repeated.
Contrary to the generally received Opin-
ion, the spring and summer are the sea-
sons when suicides do most abound. The
months of March, June and July are those
chiefly affected by males for this purpose,
while females prefer September, the much
abused November and January. The time
of day chosen for the deed is usually either
early morning or early evening. The ten
dency to suicide varies with the occupation,
and is said to be twice as great among arti-
much greater in cities than in rural districts,
and increases with the increase of civiliza-
ton and education. The fact that married
people are much less prone to self destruc-
tion than the unmarried, may be accounted
for by the theory of natural selection, as it
is usually, and especially with women, only
the more healthy both in mind and body
who enter the married state while the fact
of suicide among males being always so
much more numerous than among females,
is perhaps, to certain extent to be explain
ed by the former having wider choice OF
means at their disposal, and ready at hand.
Women, as a rule, prefer to put an end to
their lives by drowning; and as they may
have to travel long distance before being
able to accomplish their design, it is not
unlikely that they may sometimes repent.
and alter their minds before their journeys
end.
Again, people who throw themselves into
the water are not unfrequently rescued be-
fore life is extinct, and restored. Unless
insane, they are probably cured by the at.
tempt, and will not renew it, the mind
having regained it's self-control. Suicide is
but rarely met with in old people, and it is
also very uncommon in children, although
instances are recorded of quite young chill
dren hanging or drowning themselves.
The hereditability of suicide, though not
universally conceded, is admitted by most
authorities, and according to some the ten
dency to self-destruction is more disposed
to be hereditary than any other form of in
sanity. Certainly great number Of those
who put an end to their own lives are men,
bers of families in which instances ofsuicide
or insanity have previously occurred, and
the propensity is usually most strong at
some particular age. DIR. Gall mentions
u
killed himself, leaving large sum of mon
ey to be divided among his seven children.
None of these met any real misfortunes in
life, but all succumbed, before attaining
their fortieth year to the mania for suicide.
Intemperance, the root Of half the idiocy
and considerable percentage of the insani-
ty of the country, is largely contributory to
the rapidly increasing number Of cases OF
self-murder. In the French classification,
which is ''generally admitted to be pretty
true of all countries" Is per cent. are put
tributed to insanity, % per cent. to grief,
and % per cent. to various other causes.
Besides the above, taken from Chambers
Journal, we find in an exchange the follow
ing facts on this interesting subject, recent
ly communicated to a reporter by the mayor
Of New York:
"Women are free from business cares and
do not drift into intoxicating habits. They
also take disappointmentsi in love more phi
losophically than men. They regard dis
appointment as natural sequence; in fact,
are disappointed if they are not disappoint-
ed. A great many men do not expect it,
generally resort to extreme dissipation
or suicide. The greatest majority of wo-
men select poison as the easiest method Of
crossing the StyX. Theya are naturally afraid
of pistol, and would naturally scream and
run if they saw one while seeking de-
structive method. Next to poison they Sc
lect hanging, and they almost invariably
make bungling job of that, just as they do
in attempting to cut their throats. Very
often they jump from window and invari-
ably scream; no doubt they shut their eyes
when they take the fatal leap. The pro-
portion of married suicides is scarcely large
enough to admit the argument that marital