24 OCTOBER 1992, Page 28

Chicken or egg

Sir: I don't know whetter it would be a con- solation to Mr Bernard (Low life, 10 Octo- ber), but my guess is that his hip broke — and then he fell.

This is vicarious knowledge — and most- ly gained from stories about similar acci- dents suffered by maiden aunts, grand- mothers and other assorted elderly female relations of my acquaintance.

To mitigate the risk, I'm told, women should imbibe a selection of hormones to replace calcium and other lost elements in their bones, the supply of which is dimin- ished after the menopause.

I don't know whether this medication is relevant to a male of Mr Bernard's vintage.

Roddy Dewe

Dewe Rogerson Limited,

3 1/2 London Wall Buildings, London Wall, London EC2