This study was a preliminary step in gathering reliable data on suicides and suicide attempts in Padua, Italy. Data were collected from the first aid department of the Padua general hospital, 67 general practitioners in the city, staff of a night-time and holiday home-call medical service, the reanimation department of the Padua general hospital, the Padua local authority registry offices, and the Padua University Institute of Legal Medicine. Of the 259 cases identified as residents of Padua, 36 cases represented successful suicides and 223 were unsuccessful attempts. Most were identified at the first aid department of the Padua general hospital. Individuals who committed successful suicides were much older than attempters. Many of the cases who committed suicide were married and were retired or housewives, with a primary school level of education. There was a five-to-four ratio of males to females among successful suicides, whereas the ratio in cases of attempted suicide was six females to every four males. Suicides were committed mainly by hanging, using firearms, and drowning. Among the attempted suicides, 72.6% used overdoses of drugs. Comparison of the data obtained in Padua with the data supplied by the Italian Statistics Institute suggests that the Statistics Institute data is unreliable and without any useful scientific foundation. It appears likely that the real number of suicides could be twice that indicated by official reports. (NB)