Category:
Suicide
Suicide
Anti-Suicide Nasal Spray
Back in 2012, the Army awarded a grant to Dr. Michael Kubek of the Indiana University School of Medicine to develop an "anti-suicide nasal spray". TheMarySue.com gives some details:the spray would deliver an extra dose of thyrotropin-releasing hormone, (TRH for short) which causes a “euphoric, calming, antidepressant effect.” TRH has been used in the past to treat severe depression and bi-polar disorders. Between the quick-acting effect of the chemical and fairly direct delivery system, the drug might be able to literally stop people from killing themselves on the spot.
The Military Suicide Research Consortium offers some more info, similarly emphasizing that a primary benefit of the nasal spray was that it would be quick-acting. So I'm assuming the idea was that if someone was thinking about suicide, they could squirt the spray up their nose and the thoughts would go away. Although this suggests a problem. If someone was serious about suicide, wouldn't they purposefully not use the nasal spray?
The Army grant was for three years. But I can't find any follow-up indicating whether the spray was successfully developed. Although I did find that Dr. Kubek died in 2019.
Posted By: Alex - Tue Jan 05, 2021 -
Comments (3)
Category: Medicine, Suicide
Jewell Bell, Three-time Widow at Twenty
I am reminded of the famous Oscar Wilde quote:
To lose one parent may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 01, 2020 -
Comments (0)
Category: Death, Suicide, Husbands, 1930s
Self-described Suicide
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Feb 12, 2019 -
Comments (3)
Category: Suicide, 1930s
Shampoo as suicide prevention
The idea of people who try to kill themselves three ways at once is something that occasionally pops up in weird news. Though I'm not sure if it really belongs to weird news or is more of an urban legend.Back in 2014, I posted about an attempted 4-way suicide that was reported in 1922. A man tried to torch, hang, poison, and shoot himself simultaneously. But I was also suspicious of that reporting.
Posted By: Alex - Sat Nov 25, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, Suicide, 1950s
Helmet Law Suicide
In 1992 California began requiring that motorcycle riders wear a helmet. Despondent, Gerald Marotta, 48, put on his helmet and shot himself. He left behind a note, "Now I can't ever ride again."Attorney Wendy Lascher, who had challenged the law, said, "from what I heard about his note, I think the law did have something to do with his death, in that [riding without a helmet] apparently was his only outlet."
Los Angeles Times - Jan 10, 1992
Posted By: Alex - Fri Mar 31, 2017 -
Comments (5)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1990s
Mount Mihara: Japan’s Suicide Volcano
If you really have to do yourself in, suicide by volcano sounds pretty dramatic and exciting.
Original article here.
Wikipedia info here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jan 20, 2017 -
Comments (4)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1930s, Asia
Teen Suicide Inspired by Media!
Yes, a "contemporary" trend happening in 1921.
Original story here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jul 29, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Suicide, Movies, Teenagers, 1920s
Death by Dishwasher
This is disturbing, but also definitely weird. Of all the possible ways to off yourself, why choose a dishwasher? Evidently some psychiatric issues were involved.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - May 18, 1984
Woman Found Dead Inside Dishwasher
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — A woman was found dead inside her dishwasher, and police say they believe that she committed suicide.
The body of Carolyn Matsumoto, 25, was found about 1 p.m. Wednesday by her mother, said police spokesman Michael Holland.
Holland said the dishwasher's interior trays had been neatly stacked along with some personal effects next to the machine. The top-loading machine was activated automatically when the door closed.
The Alameda County coroner's office was conducting an autopsy.
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — A woman was found dead inside her dishwasher, and police say they believe that she committed suicide.
The body of Carolyn Matsumoto, 25, was found about 1 p.m. Wednesday by her mother, said police spokesman Michael Holland.
Holland said the dishwasher's interior trays had been neatly stacked along with some personal effects next to the machine. The top-loading machine was activated automatically when the door closed.
The Alameda County coroner's office was conducting an autopsy.
Posted By: Alex - Wed Jun 29, 2016 -
Comments (6)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1980s
Skinny Suicides Survival Rate
I had this post in the queue before Alex did his story about the woman jumping yesterday. Maybe this is the explanation for her miracle.
Apparently, it's best to put on a few pounds before jumping from a high place, if you are serious about doing yourself in.
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Jun 27, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Suicide, 1980s, Women
Borrowed Gun
January 1958: "If I had a gun, I'd kill myself," unemployed Robert Ponton told police officer Walter Ryan. So Ryan handed him his gun, and Ponton shot himself. Ryan, who was later charged with abetting a suicide, said he was "dumbfounded and petrified" by what Ponton had done.
Southeast Missourian - Jan 28, 1957
Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 16, 2016 -
Comments (3)
Category: Death, Suicide, 1950s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |