Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B M Barraclough.
Death by suicide is described in the Holy Bible. The number of characters affected ranges from 3 to 11, depending on the inclusion of the Apocrypha, the definition of suicide adopted and the version of the death accepted when there is more than one account. The Bible treats suicide in a factual way and not as wrong or shameful.
English as the language of publication for articles on suicide in the medical literature increased from 58% of articles in 1966 to 79% in 1986. This increase occurred at the expense of all languages. These changes parallel those for the language of publication of articles on mental disorders and all medical subjects.
Evidence from follow-up studies concerned with the mortality of epilepsy suggests the suicide rate is increased. The risk of suicide seems to be higher from temporal lobe epilepsy, for epilepsy with a greater degree of handicap and in the early years of the condition.
All 44 neurosurgical units in the British Isles replied to a postal questionnaire asking about their use of neurosurgery during 1974--6 for functional mental illness. A total of 431 operations was reported, representing a yearly rate of 3.4 operations per million population aged over 15. The numbers of operations declined from 158 in 1974 to 119 in 1976. Four units did two-thirds of the operations. Stereotactic methods for locating the site for the lesion were used in two-thirds of procedures. Mood disorders, anxiety states, and obsessive-compulsive neurosis were the conditions most commonly treated.
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Suicide rates in towns with a Samaritan branch were compared with rates in matched control towns without a branch. Four methods of choosing controls are described, all of which have advantages over those used by Bagley (1968). No statistically significant differences between Samaritan and control towns were found. The scientific case for the effectiveness of the Samaritans in reducing the suicide rate is therefore seriously weakened.
Self-mutilation in non-human mammals is a well-established, although not a widely known phenomenon, which has been reported under zoo and laboratory conditions. In macaque monkeys, laboratory rearing and isolation are important predisposing factors, and the more serious self-injury is initiated by some immediate stimulating event. It is commonly accompanied by behaviour normally shown by the animal in a fighting context. Lower mammals are also known to mutilate themselves under laboratory conditions after administration of drugs wich probably cause increased sympathetic activity. The implications of this behaviour for an understanding of states of self-injury in man are discussed.
A consecutive series of 110 undertermined deaths (U.D.) was compared with matched samples of suicides and accidents recorded in the same metropolitan Coroner's District. The hypothesis tested was that U.D. are mostly concealed suicides and will resemble known suicides more closely than accidents. The samples were compared on social and demographic variables, psychiatric and physical illness, evidence of suicide intent, information available to the Coroner and the circumstances of death. The results did not confirm the hypothesis. The study widens the investigation of the mortality of mental disorder from unnatural causes beyond the category of suicide.
To test the hypothesis that Samaritan services prevent suicide, the trends in suicide-rates of county boroughs with Samaritan services have been compared with trends in matched control boroughs without Samarian services. The suicide-rate for both groups of boroughs has decreased progressively and to the same extent. This finding is not consistent with suggestions that Samaritan services prevent suicide.
The coroner's records of 110 accidental deaths resulting from poisoning, drowning and falling were examined for evidence of mental illness. Sixty per cent were classified as mentally ill before they died, depression, drug dependence and alcoholism accounting for over three-quarters of the diagnoses. Deaths given accident verdicts should be included in the study of the mortality of the mentally ill.
A survey of relatives' experience of coroners' inquests on suicides is reported. The survey was conducted shortly after the inquest and gave results similar to those of a survey which took place some years after the relevant inquests. Both surveys show that the inquest aggravates the distress resulting from bereavement by suicide. Implementing the Brodrick Report and preventing the publication of inquest reports in the press would relieve some of this additional distress.
When questioned by post most of a one-in five sample of consultant psychiatrists replied that they did not favour the use of barbiturates as hypnotics or a sedatives.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.