The Washington herald., 1907-07-07
SUICIDE OF CHILDREN
Great Extent of Malady Not
Generally Realized.
INCREASING IN ALL COUNTRIES
DIR. Arthur Macdonald Discusses
study of Causes of Self-destrnction
Among Boys and Giris-DOes Not
believe in Theory of Insanity.
Records Should BE Kept.

Suicide by children between the ages
Of ten and fifteen years, and by boys and
girls from that age to twenty is much
more common than is generally supposed
It is only within recent years that this
class of suicides has been differentiated
from persons older in years, and the re-
suit is not only matter Of interest, but
of surprise to students Of criminology
Not only is juvenile suicide matter OF
surprising statistics. but it is shown to
be on the increase in all countries where
records have been kept
Speaking Of the study Of this class OF
suicides, Dr. Arthur Macdonald, Of this
city. said yesterday that il was not until
about 1880 that the first feeble attempts
were made in Europe 20 record instances
Of child suicide. but that since 1910 toler-
ably accurate statistics had been kept in
Prussia. France. and England. He said
there were no reliable figures available
for this country. but that Juvenile suicide
was common even here. sometimes on
/ the part Of boys and girls Of tender years.
statistics Kept in Berlin.
Dr. Macdonald explained that based
upon the statistics kept by the minister
Of Justice in Berlin for the thirty-year
period, 1859 10 1893, the yearly average Of
suicides in Prussia was 500; for men it
was 40l2. and for women 1.00I. Putting
the figures in another way DR.. MacDon-
aid said that for every 100 suicides in tho
whole population, So07 We're male and
1888 were female. For every 100 suicides
among children before reaching the age
Of ten years, 7S49 were boys and POI
girls. From ten 20 fifteen years the per
centage Of boys was g. and Of girls q.
Between the years of fifteen and twenty
the boys were 6L6S. and girls S252 per
cent
Dr. Macdonald said that these percent
ages were fairly representative. If any
thing was 10 be said with reference 10
the accuracy Of the figures, he believes
they would err on the side Of being less
than the reality. He said that in the
case of many drownings death was due,
I'm his opinion, TO suicide. and not ac-
cident,
Explains Suicidal Impulse.
DR.. Macdonald believes that suicide,
in the majority Of cases. with children
as with adults. Is due 10 what he calls
the suicidal impulse" That is 10 say,
il is an impulse 20 take ones life when
+ the opportunity presents itself
DR.. Macdonald gave several iilustra-
4 ti0ns Cae was the case Of man de-
pressed by financial worry, domestic
+ trouble. ana conditions which. % him.
/ seemed unbearablc. lie might enter
room where a revolver lay. The impulse
/ 10 end it all would ovcrp0wer his rea-
/ son and Will. and he would shoot himself
/ to death. In ike manner he said,
young boy or girl. smartiug under the
/ sting Of parental reprOof. or from some
punishment the child regarded unjust,
would suddenly drown itself upon coming
/ near % stream Of water.
/ Or. Macdonald thinks that In the ma
/ iority of cases suicide is not premedi-
tated. but is theresult of sudden impulse.
/ He said the underlying cause might be
/ indigestion or so small "a thing as depres-
/ sion. on account Of the weather. He does
not attach much weight 20 the insanity
/ theory for suicide He believes the act
when committed is an impulse as frantic
as il is disastrous TO life. II may follow
/ long periods of depression, and i'm in
/ stances there may be chronic dependency
/ but generally not. is the judgment of DR..
/ Macdonald
Boys More Easily Affected.
In explaining the excess Of suicides
/ among boys. as compared with girls, Dr.
/ Macdonald said it was due to the more
! acute struggle for existence. He said the
ambitions Of parents affected boys more
| than girls He said the same thing i'm
/ principle was carried on into mature life,
/ and there were always more suicides
among men than among women.
/ pr Macdonald placed the chief period
/ of suicides among children between the
/ ages of eleven and fifteen years. He said
/ il is at this time that the child begins to
realize the first experiences with work.
/ and the real struggle for "a livelihood. He
/ said suicide was uncommon among boys
before the age of eleven. II was about
that time that the child began to read
wild stories and to famililsize It's mind
| Yith playing Indian" with its attendant
murder and suicide.
He said that child suicide was also more
/ common at the end Of the school year
than at the beginning. He said the child
/ seemed to start out with hope and many
times ended the year or the term in dis
! cOuragement. in which vanity or fear Of
punishment provoked the suicidal impulse
/ Dr. Macdonald fortified his statements
with many statistics. not quoted and read
quite extensively from authorities upon
the subject in which the questions spoken
| Of were scientifically discussed. DIR. Mac
| Donald hopes that the time will soon
come I'm this country when the records of
| suicide viii be kept in such a manner
that comparisons and studies can be
made from the returns of the whole coun-
try. as they are in most Of the states Of
| Europe.