In
commenting on suicides, in 1835, Arntzenius speaks of an
ambitious Frenchman who was desirous of leaving the world in a
distinguished manner, and who attached himself to a rocket of
enormous size which he had built for the purpose, and setting
fire to it, ended his life. On September 28, 1895, according to
the Gaulois and the New York Herald (Paris edition) of that date,
there was admitted to the Hopital St. Louis a clerk, aged
twenty-five, whom family troubles had rendered desperate and who
had determined to seek death as a relief from his misery.
Reviewing the various methods of committing suicide he found none
to his taste, and resolved on something new. Being familiar with
the constituents of explosives, he resolved to convert his body
into a bomb, load it with explosives, and thus blow himself to
pieces. He procured some powdered sulphur and potassium chlorate,
and placing each in a separate wafer he swallowed both with the
aid of water. He then lay down on his bed, dressed in his best
clothes, expecting that as soon as the two explosive materials
came into contact he would burst like a bomb and his troubles
would be over. Instead of the anticipated result the most violent
collicky pains ensued, which finally became so great that he had
to summon his neighbors, who took him to the hospital, where,
after vigorous application with the stomach-pump, it was hoped
that his life would be saved.
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