In sickness and in health

A chara, – I was somewhat startled to read on the first page of your newspaper on June 18th an article by your Science Correspondent, Kevin O'Sullivan, that noted that "marriage" may protect one from heart disease and stroke. The story continued to explain that it is based on a study of over 34 separate published studies involving over two million people. This is obviously a very significant study. If this is in fact the case then surely the Government ought immediately to issue marriage certificates to everyone? The cost would be minimal and the benefits significant. Then I got to thinking, could they possibly merely be referring to people in a happy committed relationship and was it the contented relationship, rather than merely the marriage per se, that confers the advantage? – Is mise,

E DILLON,

Farranshone,

Limerick.