The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-08-06
SUICIDE AND THE SEXES.
More Frequent with Men-WiIl In.
crease with Women.

crease with Women.
At the present day man is much more
prone to suicide than woman. This is
true of man in regard to epilepsy. crime
and other marked signs of degenera-
ton. But it has been observed that as
woman approaches man in her mode of
life she also becomes more familiar
with those abnormal conditions which
have previously been peculiar to men.
The comparative immunity of woman
from self-destruction in the past has
depended greatly upon the relatively
less harassing part she has taken III the
struggle for life. To-day it is different.
Now woman occupies the fields of art,
literature, finance, and even politics,
and, as she goes deeper into these vo-
cations, she must expect to suffer the
consequences. Already it is noticeable
that feminine suicide is not now entire
ly due to the sentimental causes of dis
appointed love, desertion and jealousy.
but to those trials of more material
order, such as have led men to the act
of self-destruction.
Imitation far exceeds any other of
what are called ''trivial causes of sui
eide, and asserts itself more in woman
than in man. 1t is much more COM
mon than is supposed. When self-de-
structiOn becomes epidemic, as it some
times does, its prevalence very largely
depends upon imitation. 1t is said that
many years ago the wall of Thomas
Hood over ''The One More Unfortunate"
brought many a sentimental person to-
a watery grave in the Thames. And
in our own day the vivid representation
of suicide upon the stage under condi-
tons appealing forcibly to the magma
ton has been known to be followed by
the self-imposed death of persons whose
conditions resembled closely those OF
the suicide in the drama.
Attempts have been made to prove
that climate has an effect upon the rate
of suicide. but these attempts have
never done morei than show that the
temperate regions have the highest ra-
ito. This, of course, is not due to- the
climate, but to the more complicated
civilization, the greater physical and
mental wear and the more extensive
interference with natural laws met
with in the temperate regions. While
it is true that climate eXerts but little
influence over the rate of suicide, the
seasons. on the contrary, do strongly
affect it. The popular belief is that
suicide is more frequent during the
months of winter and spring. This,
however, is incorrect. Cold, wet, damp
weather does not, as so many people
suppose, promote dependency and sui
eide. Strange as it may seem. at that
period of the year when the sufferings
of the poor and the sick are least, when
employment is more readily obtained.
when the pleasure of living should be
at its highest, suicide is most frequent.
May, June and July, the months OF song
and sunshine in all countries. give the
greatest number of selftmurders For
this there is no satisfactory eXplana-
ton, unless we accept that of the med
ical fraternity. which is that during
the period of early summer the organ
ism is working at a higher tension.
every function of mind and body is
more active than at any other period
of the year, and consequently there is
| greater liability to sudden physical and
mental collapse. Popular Science
| Monthly.