Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-07-26
MILITARY SUICIDES.
Statistics Regarding the Suicidal Mania In
different Armies.

J different Armies.
One of the most unique oil 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
/ s.dream of disappointment, or by
some other term which gives 1t a char
acter of intangible sadness, is taken us
! a cold fact; a basis of mathematical
calculation. People are born and die ac-
! cording to fixed numerical laws which
can be determined by calculation. 1t
| isn't particularly agreeable thought,
but it IS true, nevertheless, that when
statisticans 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 to 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 ana
one in the artillery. This gives ra-
ito of only 72-1o0ths in 1000. Only
one case was that of an ot1icer-a leu
tenant of the infantry.
The suicide ratio for various armies
whose reports were accessible was as
follows: Austria, Lac; Prussia and
Wurtemberg, 10; Great Britain, 40;
Italy, AZ; France, BIZ 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 uu-
der the ills we have, and presents next
to the best record in 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
25 years in one case, u in two, ~ In
ore, 30 in one, 81 in three, 35 in two,
3S 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
dencv 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 ram
dom, but the variation from year ia
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 the scheme presents
many obstacles owing to the difficulty
in getting accurate information. 1t has
been demonstrated that the highest
death rate is for children under II
years of age The causes of death vary
from year to year.
The great difficulty in making cor
rect calculations of this kind arise.
from the inaccuracy, unavoidable to 6
great extent, in taking the census. In
stead of there being a natural sequence
, of conditions from year to year, there
are enormous jumps in figures. The
census, for instance, will show tina
, there are 1000 people alive at 10 years
of age, 1900 at 20 and then drops tt
, 5000 at 81, when in the natural course
of things there should be a gradual in
crease. This, it is said, results from
the carelessness of people in giving
their ages.
The tendency in this country is tt
{ count the age by decades only. PEG
pie often ignorant of their exact age
will, when asked how old they are
reply inditferently in round numbers
, If a man has passed 30 years he viii
give his age at 30 without troubling
himself to remember the odd years
Forty-hve years will be the next stop
, ping place. or course these facts hole
, good mainly among people of limited
: education, but there are enough o
these to very seriously disturb the cal
: culatlons of mortality experts.
A life table is herculanean mathe
NAUTICAL effort, and its practical value
, after it has been prepared is limited
except with insurance companies
, Statisticians are DESTROYS of preparing
, a table of this kind for the city O
, Washington. 1t would be an inter
, esting study, but probably of little
practical use, except to show jus
, when chilsren are most likely to die
, and therefore require the greatest care
Sufficient data could be obtained from
: the health office for complete worl
OF this kind Washington Post
Famous Collection.
| In Professor Edward S. Morse's ia
, mr. ,oe T..