The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-19
THREE CAUSES OF SUICIDE.
They Are Civilization, Education and
Communication, DIR. Shrady Says.

New York Special.
DIR. George F. Shrady holds that civiliza-
ton, education and communication are the
three great factors In the increase of sui
cides. He further holds that the months
of May, June and July are essentially the
suicide months" of the year. The fact
that in the past three months there have
teen in this city III suicides leads Dr.
Shrady 10 scientifically discuss the preva-
lence of the mania for self-destruction. He
says:
1.-The study of suicide, its causes. it's
scientific aspect. the reasons for il. the
study of the characteristics of those who
take their own lives-in other words. the
investigation of the inner details of sui
oide-have long engaged the attention and
interest of anthropologists. sociologists and
physicians. IL has always appealed strongly
10 me as a field wherein much valuable re-
search still remains to be made although
there are scores of scientists who have
gwen up all their time and brains to the
subject.
While many would suppose that winter.
with its distressing cold and its hardships
especially In the case of the poor and
needy, would yield the greater number of
suicides, 1t is a strange fact that i'm the
spring and summer the number Of persons
seeking death by their own hands is double
months
or the year which are especially notable
for the number Of suicides occurring IN
their terms. They are May, June and July
so with III persons self-destroyed with
In the last three months, IL will be only
following facts deduced by scientific in
Nestigation 10 say that there will be many
more than III in the three months TO come
mas never been adequately determined
why these three months are so productive
OF suicides. The heat may have something
10 DO with II, as may the lassitude which
always comes with the return Of spring
Nevertheless, IL is a fact that In Nav JIne
ana July most OF the suicides of the wear
are recorded.
THE study of suicide is intensely inter-
estlng III embraces a close investigation OF
the human mind, what the mind will do un-
DER certain condition in certain people and
now, In other people. ii will do something
uiametricaily opposed TO its action in still
olher people II IS study of morbidity Of
suggestion, or reception. OF impression. OF
determination 1t is also a study of various
conditions OF life. A man living in one
state or existence would kill himself ~
compelled 10 endure what a man IN another
state accepts his lot In lie AGAIN
what would prompt self-destruction i'm one
termine to live on at all hazards. SO YOU
Will see into what varied, long ana wind
ing channels the subject of our suicide
thr0pol0glcally soci0lOgicaly or otherwise
Suicide Increases with the Increase of
clvliizatlon That is remarkable COM
mentary upon civilization, but IL Is a lust
one. There are far more suicides in a
large community than I'm a small one This
Is not due 10 the fact that there are more
| people there-that is not because there are
more there TO kill themselves-but because.
REORGANIZATION increases suicide IL
| offers more suggestion TO those inclined 10
self-destruction. And suggestion is one OF
! the most potent factors i'm suicide IL is
suggestion that makes a man turn 10 his
revolver. woman 10 the phial OF carbolic
acid. she has just read of some unfortu-
nate woman escaping the cares and ills OF
| life by swallowing few pence worth OF
! acid. This womans case was something
like hers. That Is the suggestion. and the