Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-26
Sidelights on Suicide
Fr.d z. Moffman m IN. up.ot..,r.

Fred L. hoffman in The spectator. -
CUIcIDE as life insurance problem has at
~ tracted the attention OF executive Officers actu-
aries, medical directors and others for man
years The literature Of the subject Is quite extensive
but generally Inaccessible to the student Of life in
surance methods and results OF the earliest
tributions is by r, Thompson Joplng, in the first
volume OF the Journal Of the Institute Of Actuaes
(the Assurance Magazine for 1851. followed by
other in the second volume us5g. and discussion
by Samuel Brown, and contribution by DR.. j. w.
Eastwood in the twentieth volume issued in 1878 The
practice had been from the outset Of insur-
developments decline the payment Of suicide
claims irrespective OF whether insane. upon
the offer Of the return ~ Of the premium paid and
CO Of the accumulated
Among the more important American contribu-
tons to the subject OF suicide in it's relation to life
Insurance brief reference may be made to adj
dress by Ralph w. Breckenridge to the Life Under
writer's association at Chicago in 1904 which is sum-
married In the statement that restrictive suicide
clause Is more in conformity sound public policy
than excessive lberality This important contribution
includes many references 20 the international er4
ture and also TO the available insurance experience
data. extending, in cases. long period OF
years, with due regard to the exposed to risk
cording to age and duration Of insurance.
The foregoing observations indicate broad and
growing interest in the technical aspects Of
the suicide problem. There has been no thorough
inquiry into the subject with due regard TO actuarial
methods. making the necessary corrections for vara.
tons In the and distribution OF the insured
and most Of all the duration Of insurance General
medical statistics OF life Insurance companies are
not strictly comparable account OF the widely
varying length OF actual experience. Indications
are that In life insurance experience we'll as among
the population at large the suicide rate is on the
Increase. The important conclusion is once more
confirmed by the suicide returns of American cities
for the year 1914
The results of analysis Of our compilations are
IN practical conformity the corresponding statistics
published in the Spectator 1913 The seven cities
which show tho highest suicide rates are San Fran
cisco. San Diego. Sacramento. Hoboken, ST. Louis
Los Angeles and Oakland. All OF these cities show
rates OF $40 per 100000 of population and over and
with the exception st. Louis and Hoboken an in.
crease In the rate and only two show slight decline
Out OF the 100 cities under review fifty-one show an
increase and fortyeght show a decrease during 1914
as compared with 19O4-lsl3
The suicide rate in small cities is somewhat les,
than In very large cities For small cities the average
rate was 5 10000 population which Increased 10
49, or per cent, during 1914 For cities with @0OO
population and the rate of 204 increased
10 zlN or Ss per cent In other words the
relative increases in the suicide practically
the same In both groups OF communities
The suicide rate for 1919 was the highest since
1909. and the third highest during the twenty wears
under review The correlation suicides TO business
failures ia only pronounced under exceptionally dis
turoed business conditions which appear to have
prevailed In the country at large but which seemingly
cities OF the Pacific This aspect OF the suicide
problem has not been thoroughly investigated but
the indications are that the basis Of specialized
analysis OF the two sets of for the five prin
cipal geographical divisions of the countrv fa,rlv
close degree OF correspondence would be shown To
exist II must be obvious, OF course that the mum.
her OF business failures reflects in a measure the
social and economic conditions affecting the popula.
ton at large. Only thoroughly pronounced ana
extended as wen as nationwide. economic depression
would however be likely to affect the general sucs
a N ~ lpAtx
there is direct relation between business faiI,,a
ana suicides resulting in consequence OF economic
distress. "'''"'
Attention is directed to the apparently INCREASING
number OF suicides resulting from mere sueeestio ~
previous cases Of self-murder In the same family
Vploa' case was reported from Springfield Mass
wneIe woman committed suicide exactly the
same manner as her husband had done a year pre-
vious The case complicated by another suicide
IA the iamiiy Of very close friend Of the woman
VINO had apparently ended her life in similar man
her SUCH cases are reported with increasing
and they warrant the most serious apprehensions -.
garding the future. The psychology of suRoastIor
Is mueh-neglected branch OF modern medicine ara
education The evAr present possibilities NJ sef
murder regardless Of an over,yhelnns sr,o,,a. :,
evidence are generally dsregarded and treated upb,
even where the indications point strongly in the drsc
ton OF unsoundness of mind
Child suicides are seemingly mora oor,,n -
than In former yearB. A case was reportad sror,
seattle OF boy 10 OF age who ended his lifs
Dy drinking poison In exactly the way his father had
haan
reproved by his mother for smoking Aiso a co..
was reported from Mount Vernon Wash of how "a
years or age who, upon being reproved by hs moths
TOT auSrreling with his sister. ended his
me oy blowing out his brains. Another case was re-
ported from New York City where a how az ~
years shot himself because he believed h,,n.oIt ..
be ineurable OF ament. the nature of which 80.
not disclosed In the newspaper account All ,,ss
cases indicate decided tendency toward moral and
mental deterioration. and they emphasize the ,,-sa
OF sreater caution on the part OF life insurance COM
phes IN the assumption OF risks especially for Iars.
amounts ana the Justice OF a suicide claus. vrhIoS
~oe0ua'ey protects all the policyholders aRaIns,
adverse selection during the first year OF inU,rsnc
e mooern increase in suicide Is IN part attrib
u'aole 70 exceptionally convenient facilities for ssf
murder particularly by poison. The figures shovy ~.
Tor both sexes. combined suicides by poison srs 49,,
nearly as frequent as suicide by firearms In
population the male suicide rate was 2ss per 100 ooo
OF population AGAINST female rate of "a but The so~
uiterences In the rates decidedly mora nroDo,,s
when the several methods or means OF eounoittI.s
suicide are considered Among men IL Is sbov,r ,h,
suicide by firearms was most common arno,r,,n.
to 50 par 10000 OF population followed NV To.o
with rate Of SIS, and hanging or stran1n,st 49,,
with rate OF 81 Among women suicide bS 49,,