The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
SUICIDE STATISTICS.
Chiidless Marriages . Csme-Rats High
Among Germanic Nations.

Among 1 900. 600 suicides Of all classes. IL
has been found that 2O5 married men with
children destroyed their lives; 40 married
men without children; 528 widowers with.
and 1904 widowers without children.
With respect to the women. rs married
women with, and 1853 without, children COM
mittei suicide, while 1O4 widows with. and
zSc without offspring, completed the list.
On the face of things. says the Illustrated
London Ne1s. it would appear that in child
less marriages the number OF men suicides
rs doubled and in women trebled. Leaving.
the case OF actual insane persons out Of
count, It would also appear that in males
suicide is more frequent than in females.
Equally interesting is that phase OF ito
subject which deals with the causes. q
table dealing with 6,7s2 cases shows one
seventh caused by misery, one twenty first
part by loss Of fortune. one forty-third BY
gambling. one nineteenth by love affairs.
q ninth by domestic troubles. one sixty.
sixth by fanaticism. and by foiled ambition
and remorse one-seventh and one twenty
seventh respectively.
The geography of suicide Is also Of
high interest. Westcott says the highest
proportion in Europe is shown by the Ger
ia NhCCos DNAOby haNibk LILO AIK0WL
suicide rate Of any country" In Norway
the rate was very large for a time, its de-
crease being attributed 10 the greater re-
strictions now laid on the liquor trafic.
The Celtic races have a low rate, and this
is evinced by the figures for Ireland and
Wales. Mountainous regions are said TO
show a lower rate than lowlands. In the
highlands Of Scotland and Wales. and in the
Esl-
Times and seasons also operate, appar-
entity, to II influence the act Of self destruction.
Roughly speaking. the curve line OF suicide.
calculated through the year.. rises from
january to July. and decreases for the
second half Of the year. The maximum
June and July. l believe indeed June Is
found 70 show a marked predominanos
as a suicide month.
One reason for such prominence In the
warm season OF the year 10 set down as
represented by the onset OF hot weather
affecting the system and tending to dis
turb the mental equilibrium Of the SUBJ
iects. In 1898 cases noted in Paris the
prevailing hours Of self-destruction were
from 8 A. M. to loon and from . 10 3P. NJ.
Perhaps one OF the most curious phases
Of this study 10 revealed in the fact already
alluded ~to-namely. that different coun-
! tries appear TO show preferences for diff
ferent means OF committing suicide from
other lands. The most common European
method Is by means of hanging. but In
Italy this mode Of self -destruction In rare.
Drowning comes next in order. and twice
as many women as men perish In this way
each year in Europe: Shooting is frequent
in Italy and in Switzerland. Cut throat
is common in England and Ireland: IL does
not seem to constitute anywhere else Q
frequent mode Of ending life.
Poisoning 10 q specially Anglo.Saxcn
| method OF suicide. we are told: while sur
f~ocafion by the fumes Of oarbonic acid gas.
inhaled In . closed room. " very tSpicL q
suicide In France.