To the Editor:

Re “Medicating a Prophet,” by Irene Hurford (Sunday Review, Oct. 2):

I have treated more than 500 people with schizophrenia, including many “prophets.” All were glad to get relief from their voices and delusions, except for one woman who said her voices kept her company.

Failing to treat such people markedly increases the chances of their becoming homeless or violent.

Four studies have independently confirmed that people with untreated severe mental illness, mostly schizophrenia, commit 10 percent of homicides in the United States.

Schizophrenia is not a romantic disease.

E. FULLER TORREY

Kensington, Md.

The writer, a psychiatrist, is associate director for research at the Stanley Medical Research Institute.

To the Editor:

As a psychiatrist with long experience in treating people with psychotic illnesses, primarily schizophrenia, I agree with Dr. Irene Hurford that clinicians need to understand the patient’s inner world of psychosis, which may include positive elements for some patients. But in my experience, this is by far the exception.