The authors attempt to define the demographic characteristics & the ratio of successful suicides per 100,000 in a comparison study of successful suicides in inpatients of psychiatry clinics & non patients in the general population. A review of death records from 1965-1980 revealed suicides were within the 15-64 age range, a decrease in clinical suicides following improvement in patient care, an increase during periods of socio-economic stress.(NBB)