Statistics Of Suicide In France
fkom: 18B5 to 1846, inclusive.*
At no period lias so much, been -written, at no period so little read, as in our own days. A*liost of curious works and interesting documents aro printed only to be forgotten?frequently most unjustly, as seems to U3 tlie case with regard to a thesis, recently published by .Dr Petit, formerly assistant resident medical officer at the Marleville Asylum, on the ” Etiology of Suicide.” This work, in other days, would hare obtained for its author the favourable notice of all who occupy themselves with social and political economy. Although undertaken as a medical study, this remarkable inquiry throws a new light on one of the social infirmities of our times, and contains instructive information for the moralist. There is no fine writing or declamation, but figures?scarcely anything but figures?which, in our opinion, speak most eloquently. Here is the proof.
The number of suicides in Prance in the space of twelve years, from 1st January, 1835, to 31st December, 1846, was 33,032; that is, 2,752 in each year, or one in 12,646 inhabitants. This sum was thus divided:? Males …….. 24,762 or 2,062. a-year. Females .. .. .. 8,270 or 690 ? In twelve years … 33,032 or 2,752 ?
Suicides are three times more numerous among men than among women. This proportion is almost constant in all years and in each department- The following was the number of suicides in each year, from 1835 to 1846- inclusive: Males. Females. 1833 1,785 …. 520 . 1800 1,775 …. 5C5 . 1837 1,811 C32 . 18:38.. 1,880 700 . 1839 2,049 098 . 1810 2,04.0 712 . 184 1 2,139 184 2 2,12!) 184 3 2,291 184 4 2,197 1840 2,332 184G 2,329 Males. Females. 075 737 729 776 752 2,814 2,806 8,020 2,973- 3,084. 773 3,102 24,702 8,270 33,032 It will be noticed, that with the one exception of 1843, when there was a slight diminution, amounting to forty-four cases only, the number of these crimes has gone on increasing from year to year. From 2,305 in 1835, it rises to 3,102 in 1846.
The number of suicides is not equally divided in proportion to the popu- * From an article in tlie ” Annuaire de l’Economie Politique,” 1851, by M. A. de- Watteville, Inspector-General of Benevolent Societies.
lation of the various departments, but varies considerably in different localities. For the whole of France there is one suicide a-year in 12,646 inhabitants. For the department of the Seine, which counts the highest number, the proportion is one suicide in 2788 inhabitants; whilst in the lowest on the list?that of Ariege?it is only one in 84,542 inhabitants. The following are the ten departments in which the greatest number of suicides occur:
In 12 years. Per annum. 1. Seine 5,890 491 1 in 2,778 inhabitants 2. Seine-et-Oise 1,200 100 1 in 4,749 3. Oise 950 79 1 in 4,984 4. Seiue-et-Marne 795 00 1 in 5,139 5. Marne 795 00 1 in 5,085 0. Seine (Inferior) …. 1,212 101 1 in 7,577 7. Aube 404 34 1 in 7,794 8. Loiret 495 41 1 in 8,049 9. Aisne 822 08 1 in 8,123 10. Var 478 40 1 in 8,970 With the exception of Var, all these departments are situated in the plain; whilst, on the contrary, the departments which give the smallest amount of suicides are all mountainous, excepting Gers, which is in the plain. In general, the mountainous districts have few of these crimes to deplore, as is here seen: In 12 years. Per annum. 1. Ariege 39 3 1 in 84,542 inhabitants 2. Aveyron GO 5 1 in 77,824 ? 3. Corse 48 4 1 in 57,508 ? 4. Loire (Upper) 78 0 1 in 47,255 ? 5. Pyrenees (Upper) …. 08 5 1 in 44,872 0. Lozfcre 39 3 1 in 44,791 ? 7. Gers 94 8 1 in 40,3G7 8. Fuy-de Dome 184 10 …. 1 in 39,313 9. Garonne (Upper) 151 13 1 in,38,249 10. Loire 140 12 1 in 37,503 ? All ages furnish their deplorable contingent of suicides, but the propor- tion varies at different ages. Infancy gives but few cases, youth a con- siderable number, middle age the most, old age next after. Males. Females. Total. Under 10 years J 83 From 10 to 21 1,017 From 21 to 30 8,859 From 30 to 40 4,508 From 40 to 50 5,117 From 50 to 00 4,010 From 00 to 70 3,108 From 70 to 80 1,575 Above 80 years 344 Unknown age 981 . 50 . 570 1,375 ,1,271 ,1,558 , 1,422 .1,070 , 540 . 114 , 270 239 1,593 …. 1 in 22,417 inhabitants 5,234 …. 1 in 11,443 5,839 …. 1 in 10,325 0,075 …. 1 in 8,078 5,432 1 in 8,378 4,184 1 in 8,125 2,121 …. 1 in 8,717 458 …. 1 in 10,540 1,257 24,702 8,270 33,032 Tlie total of 239 children is composed of? 1 Child at ……. 7 years 3 Children at 8 2 ? 0 8 10 9 ? 11 20 ,, 12 29 Children at 13 years 64= ? 14 ? ? 15
The predisposition to suicide goe3 on augmenting from tlie first exercise of tlie intellectual powers, to the period of their fullest development at about forty to fifty years of age. It remains almost stationary in old age, and does not decrease until imbecility commences. Of the seasons of the year, winter furnishes the smallest number of suicides; the month of December, the minimum in that quarter. In January, the number begins to increase; February yields a larger pi-oportion than January, March than February, so that the rate of increase goes on rapidly increasing up to June, when it attains its maximum. July affords a slight diminution, August a much larger decrease, the numbers diminish- ing progressively in inverse order to the ascending progression. Year.
Jan. I Feb. j Mar. April. I May. June, July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Total. 1835 1830 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1840 ICO 150 175 150 .172 222 175 191 225 219 192 230 152! 205 201 105 170 143 185 217 184 195 230 181 143 200 205 193 213! 220 230 ? 230 228; 251 215! 284 270| 279 220; 239 283; 258 271: 280 233 311 285 277 239, 241 249 201 244, 201 278 299 304j 275 304 287 290; 281 312 348 318 334 304 340 317’ 358 342 330 294 219! 109 158 283 209: 101 182 285 210 298 251 290; 238 202 239 298 244 102 14G 138 154 194 194 182 207: 190 218! 207 199; 190, 158 209|. 200; 170 270 299 291 177 194 330 207; 207! 194 198 300 204 223 237j 199 301 203 273 282! 201 302, 308 241i 231 182 105 .130 139 144 179 175 190 224 170 137 210 174 2,305 2,340 2,443 2,580 2,747 2,752 2,814 2,800 3,020 2,973 3,084 3,102 ,2072,171 2,870 3,041 3,507 3,021 ? I 3,531 3,014 2,492 2,442 2,102.1,977 33,032
The heat of summer is not the only and principal cause, as has been stated, of the augmentation of suicides at that season, for they begin to increase in January, and reach the maximum in June, whilst the tempera- ture goes on mounting in July. But it is remarkable that the progressive increase and decrease in the number of suicides coincide exactly with the lengthening and shortening of the days. And it has been satisfactorily established, that only a few individuals destroy themselves during the night.
We have not sufficient data to establish with certainty the influence of occupation on suicide; for we cannot ascertain the number of persons in each employment. It would be very interesting to know whether certain employments predispose to suicide more than others; if the liberal profes- sions, which tax the intellect, develop this propensity in a greater extent than manual labour.
I. Males. Females. Shepherds and shepherdesses 188 … 25 Wood-cutters, charcoal-burners 59 .. 0 Agricultural labourers (masters and servants) 7,530 .. 2,332 II. Workers in wood 1,109 .. 05 ? skins, leathers, &c 257 .. 20 ? iron, metals, &c 901 .. 49 ? linen, cotton, silk, &c 894 .. 049 Stonemasons, bricklayers, slaters, &c 573 .. 30 Various occupations 41 .. 55 420 STATISTICS OF SUICIDE IN FRANCE. XXX. Males. Females. Bakers, pastry-cooks 228 .. 21 Butchers and sausage-makers 105 .. 14 Millers - 179 .. 17 IV. Hatters 73 .. 14 Boot-makers 535 .. 27 iHair-cutters 115 .. 2 Tailors, upholsterers, sempstresses 421 .. 522 Washermen and women 42 .. 148 V. Stockbrokers 10 Shopkeepers 7a0 .. 105 Hawkers and hucksters 148 .. 38 Manufacturers, warehousemen, bankers, 293 .. 9 Shopmen, &c 292 .. 18 VI. Messengers, porters, water-carriers 292 .. 1 Mariners, watermen, bargemen, &c 240 .. 12 Carriers, cabmen, coachmen, &c 282 .. 4 VII. Hotel, inn, and coffee-house keepers 493 .. 109 Household servants 793 .. 832 VIII. Artists 118 .. 14 Clerks, copyists 103 .. 1 Students 89 .. 2 Public officers and police 140 Professors and schoolmasters 95 Soldiers, gendarmes, veterans 1,883 Lawyers, medical men, other liberal professions 300 Persons of independent means 1,571 .. 504 IX. Bag-pickers 19 Prostitutes Beggars and vagabonds 209 Uncertain professions 058 Profession or occupation unknown 1,089 31 85 1,081 1,518 24,702 .. 8,270 Total 33,032
The wish to avoid suffering exercises a considerable influence in deter- mining tlie choice of the method of self-destruction, but this is somewhat counteracted by the facility and promptitude of execution in certain manners. Thus more than one-third destroyed themselves by submersion. Suspension and strangulation are selected less frequently. One-eighth perished by fire-arms. Next came asphyxia from charcoal, precipitation from elevated places, the use of cutting or penetrating instruments, and lastly poison.
The profession or occupation of an individual influences his selection of the means of death. Thus soldiers, gendarmes, and others habituated to the use of fire-arms, commonly destroy themselves with those weapons; whilst sempstresses, and particularly washerwomen, choose suffocation by means of charcoal. Nevertheless, ninety-five women killed themselves with fire-arms. It should be noticed, that four-fifths of the deaths from lighted charcoal occurred in the department of the Seine. The presumable and probable causes of suicide are very varied and diverse. In some cases, the motives are most affecting and almost excus- able ; in others, foolish, trivial, and very unlikely. We will cite some examples.
I. Males. Females. Total. Poverty, or dread of poverty 1,404 … 389 … 1,853 Debt, pecuniary embarrassment 1,591 … 100 … 1,097 Losses at play 113 … 1 … 114 Loss of situation or employment 134 … 9 … 143 Loss of law-suit 79 … 8 … 87 Pecuniary and otlier losses 194 … 39 … 233 Reverse of fortune not specified 210 … 34 … 244 Regret at having spent tlie whole or part of fortune… 34 … 12 … 40 Disappointed hope of assistance in being established in life 43 … 8 … 51 II.
Grief at being exiled 25 Grief at the loss of a spouse, child, or relative 235 Sorrow at the departure of children 12 Sorrow at ingratitude or misconduct of children 88 Disappointment at loss of a betrothed Grief at the loss of a friend or master 7 Desire to relieve family of a burden 7 ? to exempt a son from the conscription 30 Sorrow at being compelled to live apart from his family L ,, at seduction of his sister 1 ? at seeing his sister abandoned by her husband 1 ? at not being acknowledged by father 2 ? at having no children 1 ? at misfortunes of a father 2 ? at second marriage of father or mother 2 ? of children ill-used or scolded by their parents 90 Disputes on money matters with parents 81 Jealousy between brothers and sisters 17 Fear of not being able to suckle her infant Domestic afflictions not specified 1,909 138 11 47 1 1 3 15 47 17 7 1 714 25 373 23 135 1 8 10 45 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 143 98 24 1 2,023 III.
Disappointed affections 003 … 380 … 983 Jealousy between married couples or lovers 162 … 80 … 148 Pregnancy before-marriage 150 … 150 Remorse at having seduced a girl 2 Disgust of married life 24 … 13 … 37 Imputation of paternity 4 4 Shame or remorse for some evil act 135 … 59 … 194 Idleness 58 … 2 … 00 Misconduct, debauchery 870 … 121 … 991 Intoxication (in a fit of) 440 … 55 … 495 Habitual drunkenness 1,102 … 198 … 1,300 Remorse at having killed a person 1 1 Yexation at being suspected of a theft 7 … 5 … 12 ? at not being able to obtain revenge 2 2 ? at failing to pass an examination 1 1 ? at not being able to procure some article of dress 3 … 3 at losing some birds 1 … 1 Males. Females. Total, Desire to escape tlie Lands of justice 970 … 210 … 1,180 ? the execution of a sentence 101 … 10 … 117 ? the conscription 13 13 ? some physical suffering 2,032 … 713 … 2,745 Suicide after assassination 194 … ]4 … 208 Disgust of life. 874 … 183 … 1,057 Political exaltation 0 ft Insanity 4,022 …2,427 … 0,449 Unknown motives 3,015 … 817 … 3,832 24,702 8,270 33,032
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