The author reviews a number of studies which have shown that the overall mortality among schizophrenia is about twice that in the general population. A 10-year followup of 1,190 patients with schizophrenia, selected from the Stockholm county inpatient register is described. Mortality was more than twice that in the general population & the mortality in suicide was more than 10 times higher. Medical records were obtained for studies on the validity of diagnoses & for risk factors for suicide.