The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-26
PAPERS SHOULD NOT PUBLISH SUICIDES So Says American Academy
 of Medicine IS. A PRIVATE AFFAIR Report of Committee Declares That the Press Is an Accessory to
 Crime-The Harm of
 Suggestion
IS. A PRIVATE AFFAIR

OAS 6CStiOh
 Los Angeles, Cal, June 25.-" Suicide i' private affair. There is no more justi. flcation for the publication of such ac- counts than there is for publishing other private matters This is the assertion of a committee of the American Acad- emy of Medicine. which investigated the question of suicide. and in making its report here requested the press of Amer ica to refrain from further publication Of such affairs. "1f, however," the re- port declares, the members of the press are still skeptical as to the fact that they are now accessories to crime, we suggest that they assist in the study of the conditions" A number of suggestions in this respect are made and 1t is also proposed that if the papers insist upon printing scandals and news of suicides. it be limited to a separate sheet of dis tinct yellow color, so "clean minds may avoid the corruption. If such a method Is desirable for athletic news, why not ex- tend it's ue?'
 "The rapid increase in the death rate from suicide in the United States, with the conviction that a prominent cause of this deplorable act was to be found in the suggestive effect of newspa per publication of details" is given as the reason for the investigation. The report further says: "The average value of a human life has been reckoned at s300o. On that basis the loss from suicide in this country in 1908 was s24.9s6,OOo. Is it worth trying to save, even if one is not actuated by any higher motive of hu- manity?"
 The publication of suicide news on the plea of news is declared to be a make shift. The report says in part:
 A Powerful Factor
 Your committee finds that alienists are practically unanimous in the opin- ion that the suggestive effect of the reading of details of suicides is a pow erful factor in the causation of suicides among susceptible individuals.
 Newspaper men, while admitting that the alienists are of the opinion that such publications are a cause of the crime and even admitting that there may be some truth in the opinion, reply that il is the province of the papers to publish the news. Attempts to prevent such pub lications are a cause of the crime, and even admitting that there may be some truth in the opinion, reply that 1t is tht province of the papers to publish tht news. Attempts to prevent such publi cation are invasions of the liberty o the press. They say that the people demand the news, and 1t must be giver them.
 Attempts at legislation are practical. useless unless preceded by such popula, education as will cause a general de mand for the legislation, and will assis in the enforcement of laws when en- acted
 Believing that the newspaper frater nity will be the first to aid when con- vinced of the importance of the subject we have begun general study of the facts, which Is made part of this re- port.
 After the publication of a spectacu- lar suicide by jumping from a high place in Chicago, displayed upon the front page of Chicago papers, several sim liar attempts were made within a few days" The report mentions several other instances of attempted suicide following publication of stories of suicide. The re- po:. says that while the death rate from homicide and suicide has been easing the general death rate has been decreas ing.
 the press to be blamed for homicides as well as for suicides; are they not ac- complices in the crimes?"
 Considering the occupations we find that for males the general laborers. and those engaged in agriculture are least prone to suicide. Soldiers and sailors art most prone to die by suicide. It is 8 prominent cause of death for salooT keepers, brewers. cigarmakers, servants architects, bankers, collectors, commer- cial travellers, and druggists, tailors, jour nalists and lawyers. Among employed women we find that it is prominent cause of death for telegraph and tele- phone operators. cigarmakers and sten. ographers, in the order mentioned. The actively insane or those hopelessly dis eased mentally are not prone to suicide
 News" Plea a Makeshift
 Then, discussing in detail the question of publishing news of suicides, the re port says
 If a shocking accident occurs, ther, Is at once congregated a mob who gloa over the sight It Is the same class and those only, to whom the press cater! | when 1t publishes accounts of suicides | There is no possible excuse. The ples l of news is a makeshift. In a large pro | portion of the accounts of deaths iron other causes no mention IS made of tn, cause Why do not the papers get thu details and publish minute description of the suffering and death of victims O | abortion? There might be some excuse for this, for the patients are criminals who have submitted while apparently il full self control, and such publication might help to stop the crime.
 "The present decadent condition of thu press of the United States is often men tiored There is hardly a daily issued which is an honor to this century. Mucl of the news is such as might better bt left unpublished The papers make do mestic scandal and divorce popular, a if considered highly respectable. The. publish, the detail of a robbery, or mur der, as if the criminal were to be ad mired for his skill. Is 1t true that tn people demand such news? We doubt 1t
 Study of Conditions "In conclusion, we, as defenders O the health and morals of the communi ties, request the press of America to re l frain from further publication Of sucl | affairs. We ask the editors to mentail, place themselves as members of bereave | families, and to consider If in maKinl such publications they are doing as the' would he done by