The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1896-08-22


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 so you have very probably been
the victim Of a disease which is at
! 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.
"Melancholia" is a compound Of two
Greek words meaning black bile. 1t
was supposed originally to have been
caused by an overabundance 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-
liza have been artificially grouped as:
/, simple melancholia; 2, hypochondri-
acal melancholia, and, 8, delusional
melancholia. But these divisions are
purely arbitrary. All cases begin as
simple depression. and decisions are
gradually evolved as the disease pro-
crosses. The decisions at first are
slight and floating, but gradually be-
come more fixed and unchanging.
The decisions vary greatly in char
acter. The patient fancies sometimes
that all his relatives and neighbors are
In league against him or that he has in
some way incurred the enmity Of the
whole world. In such cases his dis
ease will probably end in some form
Of mental arrangement unless he seeks
a speedy cure. Sontines he imagines
that he is being robbed of his property
or that his food is poisoned. In other
cases some unseen agency is suspected
to be at work, such for example as
electricity.
Very frequently the decisions refer
to the spiritual welfare. The patient
asserts that he has been very wicked,
and that he is lost for time and eter-
nifty. These, it will be observed, come
under the head Of delusional melan-
cholia, but 1t must be remembered
that the delusions are not the cause
but the result of the malady.
In many cases the patients whole
attention is concentrated on the state
OF his bodily health. These cases form
the group of hypochondriacal melan-
cholia- Such persons frequently ex-
hibit an intense craving for sympathy
and are constantly pouring forth
lengthy statements of their imaginary
maladies. They complain that their
Threats are blocked up, or their stom-
achs gone, or so on. In addition to
other delusions Authorizations OF spe-
cial senses are frequent in melancholia.
These affect mostly the hearing and
then the sight and taste.
The close relation Of suicide to
this diseased condition of the mind is
we'll indicated by the records Of cases
at hospitals. Out of $50 cases treated
in Garland's asylum, England, the sui
cidal impulse was present in IS per
cent. More than half of this percent
age had made actual attempts at self
destruction, while the rest had con-
tented themselves with making
threats. The proportion Of suicidal
cases was IL per cent higher among
the males than among the females.
The bodily symptoms Of suicidal
melancholia are characteristic. There
is a condition Of lowered vitality and
anaemia, or scarcity of blood. The
complexion is muddy, the appetite
poor, digestion impaired and the bow
els torpid. The muscles are flabby.
and there is lack Of vigor. Neural
gic pains and sleeplessness are also
features.
1t will be borne in mind that the
statements in this article are not
founded on the opinion Of any one
physician, no matter how skilled he
may be, but are the result of a careful
examination Of records and a COMPARE
son Of cases. In this way 1t has been
found that the most important factor
In the causation Of suicidal melan-
cholia is hereditary predisposition.
The tendency to the mental disease Ia
Unborn and only lies dormant till at
some critical period of life it is called
into active existence. Some bodily all
ment or menual shock which would
produce no mental disease in a person
with a healthily constituted brain is
Sufficient in those with hereditary men
tai faint to induce an attack Of de-
preston Of a severity out Of all proper
ton to the strength Of the existing
cause.
These immediate or exciting causes
are most frequently Of a physical ma
ture, intemperance in drink affording
q large percentage Of patients. In
about one-third Of the cases the mental
depression is found to have been pre-
ceded by some trouble Of a moral or
. mental character. Business anxieties
constitute the most common moral
cause In men and domestic afiiction
In women.
Drunkenness Is a fertile source of
race degeneration. Victims Of melan-
cholia and suicide often have an alco-
hohe family history. though there may
| have been no previous insanity In tia