Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-06-06
THE SUICIDAL MANIA.
Civilization Increases 1t, and Doctors Are
Most Susceptible to 1t.


Suicide is doubly interesting to physi-
clans, not only as they study it in its pro-
fessional aspects and psychological bear
ings but from the fact that, according to
recent statistics, probably more physicians
than any other class of men die by their
own hands, lawyers coming next, and the
liberal professions as whole furnishing
about one-fifth of all cases. Various causes
have been suggested to account for this
seemingly abnormal development Of the
suicidal tendency among doctors, some as
cribing it to overcrow'ding and the struggle
for sufficient work to maintain life in such
a way as to make existence inviting, while
others, with probably more reason, seek
the explanation in the greater tendency
among medical men to fall victims TO
opium, choral, cocaine and other drug
habits.
Since suicide increases with education
and civilization, it might be demonstrated
that physicians as a class advance more
rapidly in those directions than do others
and simply show their superiority by keep
ing at the head of the list Unfortunately
for such theory, that of insanity-possibly
the result of supposed civiliZing influences
steps in and destroys whatever of merit
may attach to the act or to the fact of be
longing to the class most given to its prac-
tice Morselli speaks of 1.-The known dispo-
sition of doctors to become mad"
Suicidal mania is undoubtedly traceable
to hereditary predisposition in many cases,
while it is fair to presume in others that
man whose father killed himself may be-
come so possessed with the idea that he
himself will do the same that he is forced
to the act to get rid of the idea Such
cases should be treated and afford instances
in which prophyfactic medicine can ard
should assert itself Even in monomania
hope may be held out of permanent cure of
the desire to die.
Dr. Siebault told at the international con-
Cress for experimental psychology, held at
London, of his success in treating by hyp-
motto suggestion a woman with strong sui
cidal mania To accomplish the desired re
suit by this means repeated slttlngs must
be had, and the suggestion of cure made
over and over again In the instance re-
corded IS seances of 45 minutes each re-
suited in freeing the woman of all her self
destroying tendencies. The would be sui
eide is one of three things, a great philoSo-
pber a crazy man or a coward If philoso-
pher, his philosophy is faulty, unless per-
haps he is beyond all hope and doubt a
burden to himself and to the community
If lunatic, he must receive careful
treatment, and his reasoning powers be
trained to follow out ideas which will take
him out of himself and give him SOME in
terest in life The whole treatment Is pro-
phylactic, but much may be accomplished.
and possibly hypnotism may prove a val
liable aid in its accomplishment Much
might be done to give force TO the charac
ter of the coward, but when a man becomes
30 afraid to face the world with its trials,
disappointments and distressing problems
that he prefers to solve them all by getting
out perhaps 1t is we'll to let him go>-Med-
ical Record.