In this letter to the editor, S. L. Henderson Smith discusses the present position in Switzerland on death by suicide & euthanasia. He refers to Reverend H. C. TrowellÕs reaction (1 May, p.275) to a modification of their own Suicide Act (1961) as a means of introducing voluntary euthanasia that he, like many others, finds an active involvement in the termination of life the repugnant feature. Smith also brings up the question of whether it is not possible that efforts in trying to save lives can be over-zealous, comparable to over-active treatment of terminal disease. (LC) (1 ref)