Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21
STATISTICS Of SUICIDE
| SHOW A LOWER RATE
Bulletin. on the Subject Has
Been Issued by the Census
Bureau.

Inc number OF deaths from suicide
recorded in the census bureaus entire
death registration area was $3.50 for
1910. as against S,4Oo for 1900, but the
death rate per 100000 of population was
but 16O for 1910 as compared with 1876
for 1909. according to census bulletin No.
100 on mortality statistics for 1910. pre-
pared under the supervision Of DIR. Cressy
l. Wilbur. chief statistician for vital
statistics. In the District Of Columbia
there were 50 cases of suicide, or 241 per
100000. as against o. or 29.1 per 100 CO.,
in 1909.
1t is stated in the bulltein that although
the death rates for suicide increased up
to 1905. those since that time do not in
dictate increased precision in the manner
Of reporting. The rate in 1905 was 1873;
in 1907. 1877. and in 1908, 17.s
Unless certificate Of death from violence
states that the case was suicide or
homicide, the death Is compiled under &C.
cidental causes. Since there are doubt
less many such cases In which the death
was, in fact due to suicide, 1t is probable
that with increased precision Of reporting
the number compiled under suicide would
increase from year to year.
Various Means Of Suicide.
OF the various means employed for pur-
poses Of suicide the most important, with
the number of deaths for each. were:
Firearms, 1851; poison. 2456. and hang
ing or strangulation, 1855, Others were:
Asphyxia, 941; drowning, GIT; cutting or
piercing instruments. ga; jumping from
high places =, 1917 crushing s. and other
Suicide by firearms is the only one of
the various specified methods of self
destruction which shows an increased
death rate in 1910 over 1909. In the
latter year the number Of deaths per
in 1870
Rural Rate the Lowest.
In the group formed of all the regis
tration cities the number Of deaths from
suicide was 5.794, or 1875 per 100000 popu-
lation. in 1870 as compared with 5,72S. or
1913. in 1909 In the group made up Of all
the registration states the number was
1900. or 1873 per 10000 population. in
1910, as against 1901. or 15.9, in 1900. In
the combined cities in registration states
the number was 4.513. or 17.9 per 10000
population in 1910. while there were
1882. or 1910, in 1900. In the rural part
of the registration states the number
was 2 796. or 12.4 per 100000 population.
In 1910. as against 2,679 or 1925. in 1909.
In the registration cities in other
states the number was 1921. or PIP
per 100000 population. in 1910. as COM
pared with 1.341, or 20.4. In 1909. In
both 1910 and 1909 the rate was high
est in the registration cities in other
states and lowest in the rural part Of
registration states. In the group Of
registration cities in other states there
was a decrease in the number but an
increase in the rate in 1910, in COM
parison with the figures for 1909. In
all the other groups there was an in
crease in deaths, but decrease In rate.
Highest and Lowest Rates.
Among the states the highest death
rate from suicide in 1910 was shown by
followed by Montana, Colo
RADIO and Washington. The lowest rate.
North Carolina excluded, was shown by
Other states with lower
rates were Utah, Maine and Minnesota.
In 1910 the rate increased in Michigan,
Rhode Island and Wis
consin. Decreases occurred in 1910 in
the rates in thirteen Of the other states
involved.
For the cities, the highest rates were
those of. first. San Francisco, Cal; next,
City. Mo-; Oakland Cal; Seattle,
Wash; Bridgeport. Conn.,, and Denver,
Col.