The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-11-18

tell you that everybody Who commits
suicide Is ln-ane. Now this Is true
only 70 the extent that the brain
that evolves the impulse Of subiectise
destruction "a not n a normal state.
and abnormal minds are. In way. IN
sane minds. But this last poatulate
brings Us around with a whlrl 10 the
important question. When Is the brain
IN a normal state? Certainly not when
under the influence OF excitement, Of
anger. grief, or Of any Of the passions
Therefore. as man n not vegetable,
but lives out a good part Of his exist
ence under a certain amount OF nervous
strain. Il becomes evident that the
gray matter In his head undergoes
constant nuctuation from ao-called nor
nal to so-cailed abnormal conditions
Consequently q does not seem 100
much 10 assert that the standard IL an
assumed one and that the man who
dies BY his own hand may be not more
out Of order mentally than the man
who criticizes him. the only difference
lying In the fact that the former mas
demonstrated his eocentricliy and the
latter Ass sker;.. bis to himself.
As civilization advances and the
nervous tension Of the individual wax
Is higher. suicidal statistics show a
steady Increase Savage races are
comparatively exempt from the END
ency 70 seli-dssiruc;lon and The more
advanced the naiion the more fatal be-
comes the impulse. However. this las
statement must be- modified By such
considerations as population, national
prosperity and several other factors
that unite 10 render reliable statistics
on this suhicci very hard TO obtain.
The suicidal ratio between the sexes
"a estimated a. minimum. IS per cent
for women 20 IS for men; maximum
30 to 20.
The general causes Of suicide are
ne impuiGlvc rauions--loye. jealousy,
shame religious or political fanati-
cssm. But in almost every case more
remote and disguised causes have been
az work. such as education, imitation
influence Of the physical and mora
environment. etc The effect Of thes'
r. 80 insidio1s that the suicide himself
il unconscious Of their presence. Then
again. there is the nan who Is impelle'
10 scif-destructon By horedity.
= Taking ms lrst IN the list o
B, cauHes-lovo--the percentage Of self
inflicted deaths iherefrom is not laEg
IN either sex. Women suicide dirostll
from the influence Of disappointed a
fec,ion: but men often solace them
y. selves b. taking 10 drink" and Il !
r the eject Of the alcohol that impresss
% the mind with the impulse Of subject
i've destruction. like Byron's--
n Lord Mont Coffee House, the Trial
> peer.
who killed himself fer iSye-wltl
y wine--lasi year"
= there have been. Of course. a nun
!. Der OF men driven 70 the rash act b
no other lntoxicant than the origins
one-love; but they are In the minor
" ". Neither do all men under thel
painful circumstances take to drinl
y some because. like Mr. Swiveller. the
= had taken 10 that long before. and som
- - for better reasons. Mr.. SWiyelleF too
\. to playing the flute; BE- all are NJ
!. 90 desperate. and. as the range Il pral
!. tlcally unlimited, various are the col
"A solers taken TO-"
n The effect OF imitation IL general
"A moderated. A very remarkable 50
A. eide from this cause took place In Lol
M don almost a century ago. Fashlol
able society at the time professed greI
admiration for Addison'a Cato" Ups
seeing a stage representation Of n
=, piece a certain Mr.. Budget was % IN
!. pressed with the suicidal death Of q
=, hero In the closing scene that ups
4 leaving the theater he went AZ on
\. 10 the Thames and. pluhgiRg therei
M pus an end to his existence. When }
n. body vas recovered this couplet "
NE found upon him:
~ what Cato dld
M And Addison approved
=. Must needs be right"
man nredlsnosed bv herealiv