The new issue of BMJ [June 28, 2008] has a letter from a doctor who introduces (though he does not name) a new form of the grand British tradition of otting.
The best known of otting traditions is trainspotting. British citizens, some of them, also practice planespotting, busspotting [a practice which now draws disapproval from the British Government], and other varieties of otting. These may all be descended from the ancient practice of bird spotting, also known as bird watching.
The new variation is windowspotting. Here is the beginning of the doctor’s letter:
Climate change
Why so many open windows?The BMJ is to be congratulated on repeatedly returning to the topic of measures to combat climate change, and encouraging doctors to take an interest in the issues. Preventing unnecessary fuel usage is important not only in combating global warming but it also leads to financial gains.
On 28 February I paid a visit to a local general hospital (500 beds plus) to count the number of open windows in all areas?there were 358. The building is some 30 years old. Most of the original windows were replaced with double glazed ones some years ago.I have difficulty working out how effective the double glazing is when the windows are open.
On Good Friday (21 March) I visited a friend in a surgical block at another hospital ? on one face of the block I counted 40 open windows. At yet another hospital on Easter Monday, a particularly chilly day, there were . . .
Barrie Smith, retired physician
Birmingham