The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-02-05

WHAT CAUSES SUICIDE2
In Ninety-Nine Cases Out of Hundred
1t Is Due to Madness.

In Ninety-Nine Cases Out of a Hundred
1t Is Due to Madness.
Nature revolts at self-destruction,
even when life has lost all charms for
it's possessor and when existence is at
tended with naught but misery When
loss of all that is dear has driven soul
to the madness of despair, when a life
of crime has brought remorse unendura-
BILE, or when the body is raclled with
destruction seems sometimes pardona-
BILE and often almost logical: but sui
eide, when attended by no such circum-
stances, can be ascribed to nothing else
than the breaking down of self-control
the act of mailman. q Psychologists
have wrestled with this problem for
ages without coming to any very
full and satisfactory conclusions
as to the real causes that
produce suicide. In some instances
physical causes seem to predominant.
in others diseased brain destroys the
body as a Gagged tiger breaks its prison
bars. Every case is more or less isolated,
for, being an unnatural act, there are no
general principles which govern it,
Often when confidently expected it is
never found, and it is usually discovered
where least looked for. Psychologists
tell us that life is a constant effort to
preserve balance between the forces of
the individual within the body and the
external forces and conditions of its en-
vironment. When this equilibrium is
disturbed disease results and it is neces-
sary to restore it by unusual means, as
medicines, diet, change of habits or
climate, and, if unsuccessful, death
results. Much more is this the
case as regards the brain and it's
functions. That organ is constantly
at work whether the body is at rest
or not In some the action is slug
gish;th equilibrium is easily preserved.
In others it is active and more care is
necessary, while in few highly de-
veloped organisms the conflict is con-
slant, though unperceivcd, and often
the struggle ends suddenly. The over
wrought brain, instead of yielding
slowly, gives way altogether and the re-
action is proportional to the effort that
has been made at resistance, just as the
ball of a pendulum, if held at distance
from the position of rest, will swing an
equal distance beyond the center when
released. No sane man ever killed him
self, because self-preservation is the
first law of sanity. No man. however,
is at all times sane, or, which is the
same thing, mentally balanced. In most
persons the variations are small and the
balance is easily restored, particularly
if the giving way has been gradual and
prompt efforts are taken for relief 1t
is only when the strain has been
long and continual, without eff
fort at relaxation, that the conse-
quences are serious. Sometimes the
result is complete prostration, often re-
sulting in dissolution; at others the
laws of nature are completely reversed
and self-destruction follows. Life at a
high mental pressure in any sphere is
dangerous. The man who violates
those laws which pertain to his materi-
al body only is far safer than he who
gives his brain no rest Sleep throws
the body into complete repose, but the
brain is still more or less active. The
brain needs rest and recreation apart
from this, and those who neglect it have
soon to repent of their indiscretion.
The tendency of this age is to live at
too high pressure and we have only
ourselves to blame for the results which
fOllow.-Philadelphia Inquirer.