The Journal recently published an article entitled "Medicine, Socialism and Totalitarianism: Lessons from Chile."* Its authors, Howard Waitzkin, M.D., and Hilary Modell, describe the attempt of the Allende government to modify the Chilean health system in socialist directions, the severe persecution of leftist physicians after the coup of September 11, 1973, and the subsequent efforts of the Junta government to redirect the health system back into more conservative paths. We have recently returned from a two-week mission, sponsored by the Federation of American Scientists, to investigate the situation of physicians in Chile. Although we question some statements of fact in . . .