After the suicide of a patient staff take increased precautions. However, they may overlook those who have formed pathological identifications with the victim as a result of past experience, or of unrecognized intimacy, that occurs between patients during a brief hospitalization. Pathological identifications involved in a suicide, a subsequent suicide attempt & suicidal preoccupation are illustrated by the case histories of 3 patients treated on an inpatient ward at the same time. (16 refs.) RM