Retrospective & prospective surveys (1956-1972) were conducted on patients admitted to an infirmary in Glasgow for poisoning. For males, heavy drinking (blood alcohol 146 mg/100 ml) preceded the drug overdose in 70% of the cases & for women, 40% had taken alcohol before the overdose. Some interesting features among the males were e.g. a high unemployment level, history of financial problems, crime & drug abuse, & for females, alcohol abuse by husband or parents, combined with assaults. (GW)