The serious study of self-destruction as a social phenomenon began with the publication at the end of the nineteenth century of Emile Durkheim's classic book, "Suicide." It was Durkheim's central contention that suicidal behavior was associated in complex fashion with social status and that it was more common among the rich than the poor. He also argued that it was often precipitated by sudden changes in circumstance that were great enough to leave the individual in a condition of "anomie," lost in a novel world without traditional rules or experience as guides. However, this conventional wisdom has been challenged more recently at several points. The subsequent findings about class and suicide among native citizens suggests the need for a second look at the meaning of the suicide rate among immigrants. Despite extensive literature devoted to suicide, social scientists have not taken full advantage of the rich potential in the kinds of records available for study. 3 tables.