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.
