[Suicide and geomagnetic activity]

The study presents the results of the influence of geomagnetic activity on the suicide rate. The authors correlated the incidence of suicides submitted to post-mortem examinations in the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Comenius University Bratislava during the period 1985-1987 and geomagnetic activity. It was revealed that the most adverse periods are the days of a drop or minimal geomagnetic activity. A total of 347 suicides committed by men and women were analyzed. On the days of drop or minimal geomagnetic activity 73% of the suicides were committed. During the stage of drop or minimal geomagnetic activity there was one suicide in 2,51 days, during the rise and maximal stage there was one suicide per 4,88 days, i.e. almost double the time. The partial results for individual years are similar to the summary results. The results are supported also by quoted data from other independent research projects (injury rate of sportsmen, fatal work injuries, alcoholism); in the context with the latter the authors point to the fact that for man periods with a decline or minimal level of geomagnetic activity are less favourable and more dangerous than periods of rising or maximum activity. In the conclusion the author outlines the possibility to apply the assembled findings in preventive medicine.