The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1896-08-14

grlmly to bear the burden OF WEAKNESS
and despair And then. In the very
midst OF black hopelessness. has the
thought ever flashed suddenly on your
mind that you might put an end to 1t
all by committing suicide?
II 20 you have very probably been
the Victim OF n disease which &c ut
present attracting the attention OF
some OF the most noted physicians In
the world, says the New York World
The disease Is known technically as
suicidal melancholia.
"Melanchola" is a compound OF two
Greek words meaning black bile It
was supposed originally to have been
caused by an oyerabundance OF black
bile In the system. the effect OF which
was to cause the patient TO be In con-
slant dread Of some approaching evil.
According to the degree OF mental
depression cases OF suicidal melancho-
Tia have been artlnclally grouped as:
l. simple melancholla; 2. hypochondrl-
acal melancholla. and. g. dcluslonal
melancholla. but these divisions are
purely arbitrary. All cases begin as
simple depression. and dcluslons are
gradually evolved rs the disease pro-
crosses. The delusions at first are
/ slight and floating. but gradually be-
come more fixed and unchanglng.
Tho dcluslons vary greatly In char
actor. The patient fanclcs sometimes
that all his relatives and ncighbors are
In league against him or that he has In
some way Incurred the onmity OF the
whole world In such cases his dis
ease viii probably end In some form
u mental arrangement unless he seeks
a speedy cure. Somtlmes he imaglneB
that he is being robbed OF his property
or that his food Is poisoned. In other
cases some unseen agency ia suspected
to be at work. such for example rs
electricity
Very frequently the dclualons refer
to the spiritual welfare. The patient
asserts that he has been very wicked.
and that he Is lost for time and otcr-
nifty. These. II will be observed. come
under the head OF doluslonal melan-
cholla, but It must be remembered
that the delusiona are not tho cause
!
In many cases the patients whole
attention is concentrated on the state
OF his bodily health. These cases form
the group OF hypochondriacal melan-
cholla. Such persons frequently cx-
hibit an Intense craving for sympathy
and are constantly pouring forth
lengthy statements OF their imaginary
mnladles. They complain that their
threats are blocked up. or their stom-
achs gone, or 80 on. In addition to
other decisions halluclnations OF spe-
clal senses are frequent In melancholla.
These AFFECT mostly the hearing and
then the sight and. taste.
The close relation OF suicide 20
this diseased condition OF the mind Is
well indicated by the records OF cases
nj hospitals, Out OF 73O cases treated
In Garland's asylum. England. the sui
cldal Impulse was present In 65 per
cent. More than half OF this percent
age had made actual attempts nj solf-
destruction. while the rest had con-
tented themselves with making
threats. The proportion OF suicidal
cases was II per cent higher among
the males than among the females.
The bodily symptoms OF suicidal
, melancholla are characteristic. There
10 a condition OF lowered vitality and
anaemia, or scarcity OF blood. The
complexion 20 muddy, the appetite
! poor digestion impaired and the bow.
f els torpid, The muscles are ilabby
and there Is lack OF vigor, Neural,
gle pains and sleeploasness are also
features.
I II will be borne In mind that tho
statements In this article are mo-
founded on the opinion OF any on,
I physlclan, no matter how skilled h,
= may be. but are the result OF a careful
! examination OF records ana a comparl
: son OF cases. In this way Il has beer
: found that the most important factui
y In the causatlon Of suicidal Nolan
!, cholia Is hereditary predisposltion
!, The tendency TO the mental disease 4
/. Unborn and only lies dormant TN a
: come critical period OF life II Is callet
= Into active existence. Some bodily all
y ment or mental shock which woul,
I, produce no mental disease In q persol
: with a healthily constituted brain !
= sufficient In those with hereditary men
" tai faint to induce an attack OF de
y preston OF a severity out OF all proper
y ton to the strength OF the existing
cause.
These immediate or exciting cause
are most frequently OF a physical ma
N ture. lntomperanoe in drink afiordln
a large percentage OF patients L
about one-third OF the cases the menta
d depression Is found to have been pre-
coded by some trouble OF a moral o
a mental character. Business anxietie
constitute the most common mora
cause in men and domestic athletic
- In women.
" Drunkenness Is fertile source {
race degeneration. Victims OF melar
b. cholia and suicide often have an alec
holic family history. though there ma
At have been no previous insanity In n