Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-02-06
WHAT CAUSES SUlCiDEP
In Ninety-Nine Cases Out of II Hundred
1t Is Due to Madness.

III Nlnety-Ni Cases Out OF II Hundred
1t Is Due to Madness.
Nature revolt; at self-destruction,
even when life has lost all charms for
its possessor and when existence is at
tended with naueht but misery. When
loss of all that is dear has driven soul
to the madness of despair, when life
OF crime has brought rcmorse unendura-
bic. or when the body is racked with
ceaseless tornlents of pain, self-wrought
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 a mailman. 4 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 a diseased brain destroys the
body as 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 Il balance between the forces Of
the individual within the body and the
external forces and conditions of its en-
vlronmcnt. When this equilibrium is
disturbed disease results and it is neceS-
sary to restore it by unusual means, as
nl"dlc!ncS, diet, change Of habits or
+ climate, and, if unsuccessful, death
results. Much more is this the
case regards the brain and its
functions. That organ is constantly
at work whether the body is at rest
! or not. In some the action is slug
gish:thc equilibrium is easily preserved.
IN others it is active and more care is
Nercssary, while in u 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 q 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~prescrvation is tho
first law of sanity. No man. however,
| is at all tunes sane. or. which is the
same thing, mentally balanced. In most
| persons the variations are small and tho
balance is easily restored, particularly
! If the giving way has been gradual and
/ prompt efforts are taken for relief. It
is only when the strain has been
| long and continual, without eff
fort at relaxation. that the conse-
luences are serious. Some times tho
result is complete prostra ton, 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 tho
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 q pressure and we have only
ourselves to blame for the results which
ow.--Philadelphia Inquirer.