More Attempt Suicide

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30930, 10 December 1965, Page 1

More Attempt Suicide

Statistics kept by the North Canterbury Hospital Board show that 148 persons were admitted to Christchurch Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital last year after attempting suicide. There were 130 in 1903. Of test year’s coses, 120 were admitted for overdoom of drugs, and 28 for taking noxious substances or inflicting injuries on themselves. The attempted suicides to* eluded 46 men and 102 women. There were 20 single men. 27 stogie women, 21 married men, and 75 minted women. Four of them had attempted suicide before, 42 had preriouriy been admitted to hteptttf far peyebofaffteel fflnnui, and 15 had m aeso* UttteiL, dtegneeis of ateoholTbe biggest ringle age graup ruBiiEiPOQ nuuiiw uMuteh'-'liistu*tti''''itN'' agee m 20. and AS. fltxtooa aiagto IgMs aged between 12 and 19 yoefs wore adeemed, H riagte women aged between

20 and 65, two married girls aged between 12 and 19, and seven married women aged 65 and older.

Of the 46 men, seven were single youths aged between 12 and 19 years, 11 were single men aged from 20 to 65, two were single men of 65 or more, 19 were married men between 20 and 65, and seven were married men aged 65 or older. _____ Admissions for attempted suicide were spread fairly evenly through the week. With the largest number on Mondays. January was the month with most admtMosw (19) and May (six) and August (seven) bed leant Woiigtous affiMettam were stated to be Church of England in 60 cases, Presbyterian in 28 cases; Boon Catholic in 27 cases, and "other” in 22 eases. In the remaining 11 cases the religion was net stated. The bosptteis referred 108 eases to the Department of ftyctalocteßt ItaMtatar WMfld COtWUitSttOtL Of tIMNCs Itjy ghreo a forttae >|h potßfSMflfg tWW to their own pcychtatriota, 26 wore referred to general Ipraetttfenan, and two wore compulsorily admitted to a hnental hodpitaL

Two patients declined to bo referred to a psyehtetriot or general practitioner, one returned to prison, three returned to a mental hospital from which they had boon on leave, six died, and 26 were net referred anywhere. The statistics show that the 108 pedants spent team two to seven days in hospital, with an average stay of four days.