A STUDY OF SUICIDE. 



305 



Such causes, though occurring everywhere, are, of course, 

 more frequent in large cities like Paris, London, and New York, 

 the former probably taking precedence, it being no uncommon 

 sight to see upon the marble slabs of the Morgue three or four 

 dead bodies which have been recovered from the Seine. When 

 the history of such cases can be learned, they show, in the ma- 

 jority of instances, the absence of domestic ties, coupled either 

 with misguided love and jealousy or dissipation and remorse. In- 

 deed, so far as men are concerned, we must consider marriage, 

 with its accompanying influences of home and children, a most 

 important prophylactic. In regard to women, however, this 

 statement does not hold good, for with them suicide is more 

 frequent among the married than the single, the proportion 

 being 10 to about 9 or 9"4. This may be explained to some extent 

 by the mental disturbances produced by pregnancy and child- 

 birth, but the strongest reason undoubtedly is that a girl's youth- 

 ful dreams of happiness are often shattered by the realities of 

 married life. 



One of the most interesting tables in this connection is that 

 compiled by Bertillion, and first published in the " Revue Scien- 

 tifique" for 1879. He found that among a million of inhab- 

 itants, taken from all classes, the following numbers committed 

 suicide, viz. : 



Married men with children 205 



Married men without children 470 



Widowers with children 526 



Widowers without children 1,004 



Married women with children 45 



Married women without children 158 



Widows with children 104 



Widows without children 238 



We here learn the interesting facts that, when marriage is 

 childless, the number of suicides is doubled in men and trebled 

 in women ; and also that maternal love diminishes the number of 

 suicides among widows with children by one third over those of 

 childless unions. 



This table also shows that males exceed females in the fre- 

 quency of the act in the proportion of four to one. While this is 

 true of suicides in general, it certainly is not the case in those 

 who are insane. My experience leads me to believe that suicidal 

 tendencies in the insane are quite as frequent among women as 

 among men, and I am sure that the former frequently show the 

 more determination and persistence. In the outside world men 

 lead more exciting lives and are subject to greater mental strain 

 than women, and it is therefore natural that they should more 

 frequently resort to suicide. Another probable reason for the 

 comparative infrequency of suicide among women is that they 

 are better endowed with religious fervor and possess a larger 

 share of hope. In India and Japan only does this rule fail to hold 



VOL. XXXV. — 20 



