I KNEW DR. TALLEY AS CARING, CAREFUL PHYSICIAN

In response to the series "This pill could ease your pain but for abusers
it's deadly" (July 7-10):While The Observer is busy crucifying Dr. Joseph
Talley, I must say something in the man's defense. In 1982, a friend
recommended that I see Dr. Talley for my overwhelming symptoms of
depression. Other doctors had failed to recognize my problem or treat it
aggressively. For 14 years Dr. Talley treated me successfully, never once
over-prescribing anti-anxiety medication or anything else. He helped me to
lead a normal, productive life. I found him to be a compassionate and
dedicated physician. He always took my telephone calls if I needed him,
which most busy physicians would not do.

At that time Dr. Talley knew when his patients were attempting to
manipulate him. I was in his office one day when he received a message that
one of his patients had left her entire bottle of anti-anxiety medication
in her bag on the beach, and she reported that it had been "stolen." Dr.
Talley did not believe this story and told his nurse to call in a
prescription for just enough medication to last until he could see the
patient. This does not sound like the Dr. Talley you have portrayed, does it?

M.B. Henderson