Plastic and rubber tubing, of the types used frequently to convey anaesthetic gases to and from the patient, or anaesthetic waste gases out of the operating theatre, were assessed for their capacity to allow diffusion of halothane through the tube wall. The magnitude of this effect has been calculated in relation to pollution of the operating theatre atmosphere under different circumstances.

This excellent volume of eleven essays, plus an editorial introduction, is based mainly, although not exclusively, on papers given at 'The Edwardian Stage' Conference held in 1992 at Vancouver Island, Canada. The collection advances research in the field of Edwardian theatre and performance studies, and successfully combines scholarship with an accessible style, making the essays both highly in...

Futurists build scenarios for clients and are concerned with effectively communicating them. Stories provide frameworks and aim to engage audiences with entertainment techniques that include more than rational thinking and analysis, by exploring alternative futures involving characters and events as individuals deal with issues brought about by a new situation. Stories work at multiple levels i...

Change and the NHS are synonymous; it is inevitable that new ways of working are explored to ensure an effective service. This article explores the possibility of using nonmedically trained anaesthetists in the operating theatre. It examines a current pilot being undertaken by the NHS Changing Workforce Programme (DoH 2002a) and discusses how much impact this is likely to have in theatre.