The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1902-06-14 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE RECENT SUICIDES AT  ROOK FERRY  TO TEI EDITOR OP TEI DSZKINIIMAD 311111.  Sta,—Ceses of suicide are of late boooming so common in this district that not a few people are really getting alarmed and beginning to wonder who will be the next to commit the rash act. I myself am not so troubled, but neverthelses the facts axe too serious to be ignored, oo with your perm:Warm I will write • few lines which, oven if they will not help to completely quell apprehension, may nevertheless serve to prevent the frequency of such sad tragedies as ham, darkened this pleasant neighbourhood of }ate. What, then, can be done to prevent the repetition of the.. occurrence"? Well, of course, where there is unrecognisable brain &seem, or a parson hes so pommel his system with alcohol that his will-power is so weak that whoa depressed ha falls an easy prey to any mad imptdae, then frothing but the supervision. of an asylum or the restriction of an inebriate"' reformatory will IiIICIITO immunity. Where, however, • person is otherwise all right, and only takes his life because to cannot face the troubles of Life, or his nervous system is so highly strung that he cannot stand a. parent's displeasure in these cans I am very much en if much simpler measures will not macs. So convinced indeed am I of the truth of this that I make bold to say that if the PrePanbons I am about to suggest were only universally heeded many Of those unfortunate creatures who are to-day lying cold and stiff in suicides' gravee would probably be living still, and perhap, happy and useful members of society. Whet, then, are ray soma bone? Well, first of all, it is in my opiniina • great mistake and is, I also believe, a frequent cause of the lamentable occurrence I am discussing, to allow old people, and especially those who in earlier days have I known what the companionship of wife and children is, to be left either entirely alone ' or entreated to the sole care of • hawkeeper or servant. When such people become lowepirited and depressed—and when they feel the infirmities of old age creeping upon them, and at the same time ham the on, welcome reflection anparaddad that whereas they used to be surrounded by a whole midtiticle of sympathising relatives and friends; they are now deserted by all. Is it, I ask. I any wonder that they sometimes become so, miserable that, getting wearied of waiting for death to release them, they anticipate  his stroke themselves? Then again, • word about those not thus imbibed, nem*. married people. If • husband lads hie wife mean to take any intermit ilk anything, and sometimes may be, actually a the wish that she were dead, it I. hi. to HO that, in addition to having proper medical attention to remedy any possible physical disorder, he use every possible ' effort by dwelling upon the bright aide of things and so forth, to maks his wifu inppy and cheerful woman once mars. So if • wife finds her husband exosselody worried and depreseed from any cease, she should, if possible, find out the cause and ' if in any case the depression should become eerT great, so great, for instance, as to cause him to lose his sleep or to alter in manner or appearance then she should lose no time in behaving in the same fashion aa in like circumstances he would presumably : have behaved towards her. Leotly, supposing parents have a child whom they. know by experience to be of an unnaturally sensitive disposition. Well, if a girl, they should hi exceedingly careful how and to what extent they reprove her, whilst if • boy on no account should they resort to corporal punishment, for without going into particulars I know of many *saes, and some of them in this very neighbourhood, where excessive h arshness n reproof has led to the suicide of girls and *swore corporal punishment, or the fear of it 'has led to the same deplorable result in boys. Finally, and as a last word, let me say that many of thee* tragedies, which, as we all know, cast mach a terrible gloom over • household, niight certainly be prevented if only people living in the same home, and especially if related, would get to know each other better.lf fathers and mothers for instance took more interest in their children, husbands and wives in one another, and children in their parents, then I am quits sure that we should far lees often than at present hear the shocking news that yet another relative, • friend, or neighbour. had put an end •to his life and possibilities.— Tours. do.. C.