I11-defined somatic symptoms in a South Indian rural clinic. Some preliminary clinical observations

A detailed physical and psychiatric examination was carried out on 125 patients presenting with vague illdefined sensory symptoms, at a South Indian rural primary care clinic. Among these 94 cases were found to have a predominantly sensory peripheral neuropathy, 19 cases had evidence of other medical illnesses, and only 12 cases could be categorised as being functional. The large number of cases of peripheral neuropathy in a South Indian village is probably nutritional and resembles the clinical pattern of the burning feet syndrome. The significance of the presentation of these cases with vague somatic and psychological symptoms to psychiatric epidemiology is stressed.