Various mechanisms of death and their possible association with alcoholism

Alcoholics who died because they were run over by trains, by precipitation, or were smoking in bed, were compared with a group of controls. A higher number of alcoholics were run over by trains, the manner of death most often being suicide. There was a significantly higher number of controls who fell from a height. The manner of death in the group "smoking in bed' was more often accidental and occurred more frequently in alcoholics. Preventive measures are suggested.