From 1830-1900 medical opinion of suicide underwent significant changes in Britain. During the 1830’s & 40’s suicide was seen as either a legal or moral question. Major changes in the suicide law & questions of “temporary insanity” forced physicians to reconsider self destructive behaviors. Emphasis fell on categorization & physiology in the 1850’s & 60’s, while the 1870’s & 80’s paid more attention to social factors. By 1900 early attitudes of criminal implications were mainly discarded. (NBB)