IN 1974 THERE WERE 20,600 HOMICIDES NATIONALLY, OF WHICH 54 PERCENT WERE BY HANDGUNS. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 127 PERCENT FROM THE FIGURE IN 1960. SOME 72 PERCENT OF HOMICIDES OCCUR AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS OR OTHERS WHO KNOW EACH OTHER. ALL HOMICIDES AND ALL HANDGUN HOMICIDES RANKED FOURTH AND SIXTH IN CAUSES OF DEATH IN 1974. THIS SITUATION, THE ARTICLE ASSERTS, SHOULD RECEIVE MORE ATTENTION FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY AS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM. POLLS OF PHYSICIANS HAVE INDICATED THEIR POSITION OF FAVORING MORE STRINGENT CONTROLS ON HANDGUNS. THE ARTICLE BELIEVES THAT THIS SENTIMENT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO BEAR IF PHYSICIAN ARE TO MAINTAIN THEIR OBLIGATION TO THE HEALTH OF SOCIETY....BS