3.—Occupations.
The number of suicides are in proportion to the number of the individuals engaged in various trades, except among the agricultural population, where the proportion is very small. Thus the agricultural population of the canton is 18,000, among whom, during ten years, there have been but ten suicides; whereas, if they had been in the same proportion to the whole number as was found in other occupations, they would have amounted to thirty-nine. Constant occupation and hard yet healthy work render them less sensible to the cares of life. There is also a somewhat larger proportion of suicides among the educated classes, who are engaged in literary pursuits or the higher branches of commerce.
4.—Religion.
The relative proportion of Protestants to Catholics in the canton of Geneva is, according to the census of 1834, as 77 to 56. Thus—
| Of 133 inhabitants there are, | Of 133 cases of suicide there are, | ||
| Protestants | 77 | Protestants | 107 |
| Catholics | 56 | Catholics | 26 |
| —– | —– | ||
| 133 | 133 | ||
This result should attract the attention of those who are interested in the moral and religious education of Protestants.
5.—Means of Destruction.
| Drowning | 55 |
| Firearms | 31 |
| Strangulation | 18 |
| Voluntary falls | 15 |
| Cutting instruments | 7 |
| Poison | 7 |
| —– | |
| 133 |
In a small province, with a lake and two rapid rivers, it is not surprising that drowning should be the most frequent mode of suicide; next to this is death by firearms, which is accounted for by all the men having firearms, as they are in the militia. Whilst the men have used firearms and cutting instruments, the women have almost alone had recourse to poisons and voluntary falls.