Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1903 — YALE SUICIDE STUDY [ARTICLE]

YALE SUICIDE STUDY

PROF. BAILEY GIVES VIEW OF SELF-DESTRUCTION! > Car* felly Com pi I*4 Statistic* Show 00,844 Casa* la tha United State* la th* Period from 1097 to 1001-Mor* Malm than Female*. Boidds In the United State* ha* bee* studied by Prof. William B. Bailey of Tale for a period covering th* year* 1897 to 1901. He ha* taken 29.344 earn* and compiled th* firet eet of exhaustive statlatic* ever prepared from th* viewpoint •f the' authority on social aclence or political economy. In order to take a more convenient unit 10,000 ease* were taken by Prof. Bailey for computation In hi* statistic!. Of these 7.781 were found to bo males. 2,219 females, Indicating that la general about three and one-half male* to ion* female commit suicide. Taken by age the figure* show the followingi »■;*3 '“g S) o Si!!".’!! JlHi lm mo 40 • 60.... 1.674 Lost 281 8 Si:::::::: 1 *! I « % TO and 0ver...... 044 »« 4f Unknown Ml MS w Total* .... TIO.OOO fim *.210 The’table ehdbe that the moat popular suicide period la between 80 and 40 years, followed closely by the period between 20 and 80 yean. Nearly two-third* of th* suicide* are found between the period* of 20 to 60 year*. Number of Married Bulcldee. It 1* found that the number of th* married suicide* exceeds that of those who are single. This table Shows the relative proportions: Total Males. Females. Single 4,064 8,120 *29 Married 4.807 AWT MO Widowed 879 4PS 18* Divorced 1M U 7 62 Unknown 271 202 00 Total 710,000 L7Bl 2,21* Another table prepared by Prof. Bailey shows that more single, widowed, and divorced women commit suicide than men tn like conjugal conditions, but that married men are more prone than married women to take their lives. According to Prof. Bailey this Is probably due to the fact that the struggle for existence bears most heavily on the women who are trying to support themselves. Shooting is found to be the favorite method of suicide, followed closely by poison. Almost exactly 00 per cent of the cases of suicide are included under these two heads. More than 60 per cent of the cases of drowning occur in the three summer months. In Main* hanging still leads as the most popular method. The cases of suicide by jumping, poison, and gas are found to be confined principally to the cities. In the South shooting easily leads poison. The table summarising these cases follows: Method. Total. Males. Females. Shooting 3,247 2,980 287 Drowning 800 460 810 Poison 2,750 LBBI 91* Cutting 810 80S 118 Os* 668 468 200 jumping 478 860 123 Ranging 952 750 202 Miscellaneous ... 802 219 tt Totals .....10,000 7,781 2,21* Leading Votive la Despondency. Despondency Is the leading motive, claiming about 20 per cent es the victims. Businer* Joea, ill health, and insanlty follow in order with about 13 per cent each, disappointment in love coming next. Suicide on account of alcoholism is seventeen times as common among the males aa fefnales, while from business lorn th* number is 18 to L Between the ages of 20 and 30 is. reached th* maximum of suicides from grief, chagrin, and being crossed in love. Between 20 and 30 fall the maximum from alcoholism, insanity, domestic trouble and fear of disgrace. From 80 to 40 come the greatest numbers from business loss and ill health. -