To the Editor.—
"Walking for Health and Fitness"1 and the accompanying editorial "Walk With Your Doc"2 are timely reminders of simple techniques that we can use to enhance the health and well-being of our patients.
Like Henry David Thoreau, walking has always been one of my most enjoyable avocations and, also, frequently a more satisfying way of getting from one location to another. I well remember the two-mile walks to and from medical school that helped me clear out the cobwebs and prepare for the day as well as unwind at the end of the day. I'm sure my many classmates who stopped to offer a ride could not fathom my reasons.
Thirty-five years ago, when I began my psychiatric residency in a state hospital, I discovered that many of the chronically psychotic patients were more relaxed and talkative if we walked through the bucolic hospital grounds. I
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