Heal spell for Magic-Users?

[barna10]

Mentzer included heal as a 7th level spell for M-Us. 

I can't find any other instance of M-Us getting any sort of healing spell in a TSR source (until late 3.5).

Is there something I'm missing that prompted this inclusion?

Thanks

[Desparil]

My guess would be that it's because Limited Wish was 7th level and explicitly capable of healing. Mentzer made it much harder to gain the full Wish spell, only allowing 36th level characters to cast it - my interpretation is that in order to preserve the rarity of wishing he wanted to eliminate Limited Wish, but wanted to maintain its emergency healing function so he replaced it with the Heal spell.