The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-05-23
Study of Suicide Causes
POVERTY NOT THE LEADING REASON FOR
SELF-DrsTRUcrI0n.
Conclusions Drawn BY Charity Organization After In
vestleatinE forty-thss Cases Of Attempted
sulcldo-Msntsl Dsrsngsmsnt
Is the Chief Cause.

temporary or permanent, is the chief
reason, is the opinion advanced by
Orlando F. Lewis, of the Joint Appli-
cation Bureau of the Charity Organ
ization Society. which recently made
a special study of forty-three such
cases as reported at Bellevue Hos
pital. Mr. Lewis suggests that there
may be a wide field for charitable
work in visiting persons who report
themselves in need of counsel and
advice.
The result of the investigation is
given by Mr.. Lewis in the current
issue of Charities. The arrangement
made with the Bellevue authorities
was that the bureau should be no
titled when person who had at
tempted suicide was brought to the
prison ward. The observations were
conducted between April 21 and Sep
tember II last. AS to how it was
done Mr.. LOWS says
"The physician in charge of the
ward was first consulted by the Wis
itor, the Method of self-destruction
learned, with such other data as the
hospital authorities had secured. If
the physical condition of the patient
permitted an interview was held, the
patient being approached from the
standpoint of a friendly visitor.
While assistance from the bureau
was always offered. no probing into
the patients life was done and few
details were asked, on account of the
patients general physical and mental
condition. Emphasis was laid upon
the fact that the visitor was there as
a friend in time of need. AS a rule
the patients expressed gratitude for
this interest and often said they
would be glad to call at the bureau
after their discharge. In practically
all cases the name and address of the
bureau were left with the patient or
the keeper of tho ward. The visitor
became well known to the authorities
in charge of the prison wards; the
nurses and keepers showed personal
interest in tn cases, assuring the vis-
itor that upon the patients dismissal
they would advise him or her to call
at the bureau"
In spite of this Invitation, Mr..
Lewis says, not one of the forty-three
persons applied at the bureau after
discharge.
"A reasonable explanation, says
Mr.. Lewis, seems to be that the ma
jority of the patients were from the
self-supporting class. Almost never,
so far as the visitor could ascertain,
were the patients from the class
known as down and out.
1t was impossible to learn whether
all the forty three persons had
friends or relatives who could help
them, but in fourteen or fifteen in
stances where friends or relatives
were visited, it is stated these per-
sons said they could care for the
patient. AS to the causes discovered
Mr.. Lewis says:
'Destitution seemed to play very
small part in leading persons to at
Tempt suicide. In only two cases -7as
the attempt directly traced to pov-
erty; in four cases the patient had
been out of work or employment, but
this was not of itself a direct cause
OF the attempt. Melancholia, tenn
porary alteration, hysteria, more or
less violent insanity and alcoholism
seemed to ca"vo the attempts in thir-
teen cases; excessive jealousy in
three cases. In five cases the patients
claimed that the attempt was acci-
dental; in one case somnambulism
was given as cause; one woman was
driven to attempt self-destruction by
her husbands loose life; Illness
caused two attempts; four women
confessed that their immoral life had
become too shameful and difficult to
bear.
Poison seemed to be the favorite
method, perhaps because easily OBJ
tanned and supposedly quick in its
action. Thirteen persons sought to
end their lives in this manner. Ten
persons were reported to have tried
gas poisoning, but in several in
stances 1t was claimed that the cause
had been accidental, the gas being
blown out by the opening of a door
or window while the person was
asleep. Six persons attempted sui
eide by submersion, four by shooting.
four by cutting throat, head or wrists;
three Jumped from windows, one
threw himself in front of a street car.
and in two cases the method of at
tempt was unknown"
Out OF the forty-three cases eleven
stayed but one day in Bellevue. six
but two days and the remainder from
three days to several weeks. Seven
teen were sent to court and the bu-
reau lost track of them; five went
back to work, six were sent home.
two were put in the psychopathic
ward and the rest were still at Rel
levue when the Investigation was
closed. Not one of the forty-three
made the statement that he had at
tempted suicide because he had
sought work for long time and
failed. In regard to the results shown
Mr.. Lewis says;
This effort to render aid TO would-
be suicides suggests that a much
more extended study of would-be sui
cides in the various private ana pub
lie hospitals of the city could well he
undertaken. While certain conelu-
sions are suggested by the present
investigation, the results are nor of n
nature to justify final opinion.
Tentatively we may feel that poverty