Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/97

 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

relation to the occupation followed and to celibacy and marriage. The family is a check to the excessive perturbations of social life. The following table will show, also, that relative to the population suicide is especially prevalent in the intellectual and liberal professions, for the reason that, in addition to general economic conditions, they are subject to a peculiar instability resulting from their speciality :

TABLE OF SUICIDES IN BELGIUM, ACCORDING TO OCCUPATION AND FAMILY RELATION.

Occupations

Celibates

Married

Widower or Widow

Divorced

Unknown

1886 to 1890 (average): Agricultural

66

79

28

I

i2

56

14

I

I

Industrial

56

74

23

Intellectual and liberal

71

27

6

I

Unknown and others

91

80

35

I

10

Total

276

316

106

7

12

1898: Agricultural

81

73

22

2

O

Commercial

34

70

12

O

Industrial

99

in

7. 5

O

Intellectual and liberal. . ..

AT.

28

4

o

I

Unknown and others

87

74

38

2

7

Total

144

356

III

4

8

1899: Agricultural

64

75

21

i

Commercial

42

51

12

I

Industrial

69

100

3S

2

Intellectual and liberal Unknown and others

42 99

33 76

13

37

I

7

Total

316

T? 1 ?

118

4

8

1900: Agricultural

64

66

22

I

2

Commercial

S2

6s

21

I

I

Industrial

74

1^1

38

i

Intellectual and liberal Unknown and others

23 64

24 84

6

36

2

6

Total

277

770

123

7

9

In general, the conclusions relative to suicide agree with those which we have set forth in the consideration of insanity. Both are caused by disturbances of equilibrium, by excessive oscillation, attributable for the most part to the social condition.