The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
THE HOUR or DEATH.
Many Insane Persons Pass Away Toward the
Close OF Day. DIR. Pilgrim Finds.

A study OF statistics by Charles w. Pilgrim,
NJ. D.. superintendent Of the Hudson River
State Hospital at Poughkeepsie, which has
been published In the American journal ~
insanity has been reprinted in pamphlet form
and attracts some attention. particularly by
reason OF Dr.. Pilgrims citations and deduc-
tons concerning the hour Of death. DR.. Pill
grim's paper is entitled THE Study OF a Years
Statistics" At It's conclusion be says:
An examination OF the hour OF death showed
that 20 per cent. died between midnight and 8
A. NJ, 10 per cent. between Q A. NJ. and noon,
81 per cent. between noon and Q p. NJ. and
"a per cent. between 0 p. NJ. and midnight.
BY adding these percentages together we find
the curious fact that the deaths were very
evenly distributed between the hours Of dark
ness and light. IFS patients having died between
8P. NJ. and 9 A. NJ. and lIe between 9 A. NJ. and
Q p. NJ. Desiring TO pursue this question still
further, ! examined the deaths for the ten
preceding years. nearly 1900 in all. and found
this statement .strikingly confirmed, a. a
change of one-half of per cent, would have
made the deaths exactly even during the hours
OF day and night.
a chart which I made Of the deaths for the
year-and ! might also add that the state
ments which / am about to make were cor
robOrated by a chart made OF all the deaths
during. the preceding d~ecade-showed when
divided into sections OF three hours each. that
the. highest point Of the curve was reached.
both for men and women. between the hours
OF 8 and 9 =. NJ. nearly 20 per cent. Of nll the
deaths having occurred between those hours.
The next highest point was between the hours
OF 3 and 9 A. NJ. although there was n decided
fall for both sexes for the single hour from
4to5, when the line went down 10 tho lowest
There was also a decided fall, especially for
women. between II aud ~ IN the morning.
20 s sdme sod iisgT sS, H. tbheT pd9TG,r f bsI}c, that ,ha there
deaths occur during the early morning hours.
but they show still more plainly that the ma
joritv OF those who suffer from long continued
mental disease give ny their lives toward the
close Of day As n general rule death softly
follows life and suffering at the end. either
physical or mental. Is Of raro occurrence. Tn
fact ~ Is not eH nfommd thing 90 potice
before the final change. This fact WIS noticed
by Rush 2 hundred years ngo and, IN my opln-
ion. too little has been written OF II since. From
my own observations. and from tho reports
Of reliable nurses many patients, especially
those dying Of phthisis, or after surgical opera
tons. or from acute interCurreUt diseases,
or Injuries which produce n profound shock
upon the general system, become calm and
coherent shortly before death
Elsewhere Or Pilgrim makes this remark
The number 81 cases diagnosed upon nd
mission rs acute InolanchOla, which il lust
about two and one-half times rs great rs that
Of acute mania; is quite suggestive. II not
only proves. as IL generally admitted by alien
lists, that IL Is the rule for insanity to begin
with depression. but 4 also shows that cases
are sent 20 the hospital much earlier than thcy
used TO be. before the later stage Of mania
has had time TO develop II Is undoubtedly
this fact, which so often gives rise 10 the as
sertion that the form Of insanity has changed
Of late and that the terribly troublesome cases
Of former years, in which restraint seemed
so necessary. are no longer seen But Il Il
nv belief that tho real reason for the infre-
Quency Of such cases Is that hospitals for the
insane, are to-day regarded much more favor
,abncElr tGiddn 'n mycS %e aorli even noS q o. bGfc anS ago. Ago. 99m,hd
benefits much oftener obtained "