Suicides Up

Some customers are always trying to cheat the insurance companies, complained delegates to the American Life Convention in Chicago last week. Some cheat by committing suicide, some by hiding disabilities from which they soon die. Insurance company doctors by keeping alert may detect many a disease-hiding applicant. As for suicides, which have steadily increased throughout the world, Frederick Ludwig Hoffman who has been studying the statistics for Prudential Insurance Co. last week suggested more preventive organizations like the National Save-a-Life League and Vienna's Advisory Centre for Those Weary of Life (TIME, Dec. 7, 1931; June 13, 1932). Such organizations try to get jobs for would-be suicides, cheer up the wretched, cure the diseased.

In last week's Spectator (insurance tradepaper) Dr. Hoffman presented his annual review of U. S. suicides. In 1932, he estimated, 23,000 people killed themselves and another 33,000 tried to do so. Popular methods were illuminating gas (most popular), jumping from buildings and bridges, hanging, shooting, poisoning.

The average suicide rate for 100 cities in 1932 was 21.3 per 100,000 population which has been surpassed in all U. S. history only by the 21.5 rate of 1908, a post-panic year. Since 1923, when the rate was 14.8, there has been no remission in the incidence of U. S. suicides. The rate was 17.9 for 1928; 18.1 for 1929; 19.9 for 1930; 20.5 for 1931. Davenport, Iowa, had the highest city rate (50.3) last year. Of the nation's five largest cities, Los Angeles at 28.8 had the highest rate. Commented Dr. Hoffman: "Just as there is a concentration of homicide deaths in the South, there is apparently a concentration of suicide deaths on the Pacific Coast. Year after year the Pacific Coast cities show higher rates as to which no satisfactory explanation has yet been forthcoming."

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