San Mateo County has an annual suicide rate of 17/100000. Females, widows & Asians are more prone to suicide than elsewhere. Alcohol was directly or indirectly involved in a significant number of instances. Many of the suicides were under a physician’s care at the time of death. There are probably important ecologic & sociologic variables as well as personal factors involved in the suicidal process that are of significance to any prevention program. More research is needed.