, 1890-02-28
MILITARY SUICIDES.
statistics Regarding the Suicidal Mania in
Different ArmIea.

Etatistics Regarding the Suicidal Mania In
Different Armies.
One of the most unique of the many
branches of the government service is
the compilation of mortality statistics
for the war department. Human life,
which the poets are wont to character
ize as a brief span of woe" or a
dream of disappointment" Of by
some other term which gives it a char
acter of intangible sadness, is taken a.
a cold fact; a basis of mathematical
calculation. People are born and die ac-
cordiug to fixed numerical laws which
, can be determined by calculation. 1t
isn't a particularly agreeable thought,
but it is true, nevertheless, that when
statisticians have perfected their calcu-
lations in this line, and there is reason
to expect that they will be perfected,
a man will be obliged to die by rule.
Even if he commits suicide, his de
mise is tabulated among other cases
which show under what circumstances
self destruction is most likely TO occur,
and what conditions are most condu-
Give 10 the suicidal epidemic that so
frequently sweeps the country.
During the fiscal year which ended
in June, 1888, there were nineteen
suicides in the army, twelve in the in
fantry service, six in the cavalry and
one in the artillery. This gives a ra-
ito of only 72-10Oths in 1000. Only
one case was that of an ofIicer-a lieu
tenant of the infantry.
The suicide ratio for various armies
whose reports were accessible was as
follows: Austria, 1.49; Prussia and
Wurtemberg, 70; Great Britain, As;
Italy, AZ; France, 81; Belgium, .3S.
This illustrates the fact often com
mented on, that the phlegmatic Ger
man. with his ponderous philosophic
intellect, is remarkably prone to end
his own existence. On the other hand
the mercurial Frenchman bears up un-
der the ills we have, and presents next
to the best record i'll the lot.
OF the cases referred TO in the United
States army, one man selected drown
ing as his mode of exit, two preferred
poison, one cut his throat, one severed
the radial arteries, and fourteen shot
themselves. Morbid dependency was
the cause in two cases, suicidal mania
in one. jealousy in two, losses by gam
bling in two, excessive drinking in
ten, and no cause could be assigned in
two.
The statistician does not stop here.
He goes on to show that the ages were
% years in one case, 81 in two, % in
one, 80 in one, 81 in three, 35 in two,
IS in two, 40 in two, Al in one, "A in
one, and in three cases the ages were
not stated.
The month showing the greatest
number Of suicides (six) was Novem-
Der. Three occurred in February, two
each in January, March, April, Au-
gust and September, and none in the
remaining months of the year.
In addition to the foregoing there
were two attempted suicides without
fatal results.
From these facts the suicidal ten
dency is strongest during the winter.
On the other hand homicides are most
frequent during warm weather, the
cases being far more numerous during
summer than at any other time of the
year.
The record referred to above is but
for one year, of course, selected at ran
dom, but the variation from year to
year is not especially marked. 1t has
been a pet idea of American lovers of
statistical research to tabulate the facts
relating to mortality for the whole
United States, but tho scheme presents
many obstacles owing to the difficulty
in getting accurate information. 1t has
Seeu oeiuonStrSoou tHat ,io nisne 90
years of age. The aust of death vary
from year to year.
,od the ErUIt orcut'y IN Tahdng COT
rcct talculatlous Oh inns klhd arises
rom tL., ~acGutaGy utaEoiuapie 70"
Src'S eEtGilt, IA taNiL9 tne census, m
steau oi tnere oelLS Natural sequence
oI conuitionS rom year 20 year '1 mere
W ran JurhPS III TSuI my
tensus' LOT 900 lnstaice, MN snow that
ofoeo = 20 tsVVo OBJ S az IN az 10 year
. ~ i5,Ooo az ~ anu .ne drops 10
81 ~ nl ~ y ooue
VI ling M ynero oe d srauuaI III
their ares