23 AUGUST 1986, Page 17

Unhealthy

Sir: Your National Health Service may not be 'the envy of the world' (National Health goes sick', 9 August), but on a day when I have just handed £8 to my G P (for three minutes of his time to write a prescription) and £10.70 to a chemist (for two minutes of her time to fill it) I envy it!

The Irish Republic does not have a National Health Service but, oddly enough, we still have the queues, the fag-ends and (probably) the rats. It seems that having to pay dearly for medical treatment inclines the public more towards the slovenly atti- tudes A. M. Daniels deplores.

M. F. Hearne 97 Rail Park,

Maynooth, Co Kildare