The importance of being naked from the elbow down

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7542.669-b

BMJ 2006;332:669 (18 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7542.669-b

Letter

The importance of being naked from the elbow down

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—In the neonatal intensive care unit we demand thatall staff remove their jewellery at the beginning of each shift.Anyone wearing a watch or dress ring is deemed not to have washedhis or her hands. "Naked from the elbows down" is the expressionin common usage. Visiting surgeons and all other disciplinesnow comply with our regulations.

Credit: SALLY GREENHILL

It was therefore with some disappointment that I viewed thecover photograph of the BMJ of 4 March showing a mother squattingin labour (above).¹ The midwife's watch on her left wrist isdisappearing into the groin of the labouring woman.

When will we take this subject seriously?

Ian A Laing, consultant neonatologist

Simpson Centre for Reproductive Health, Edinburgh EH16 4SU ian.laing@luht.scot.nhs.uk

Competing interests: None declared.

Cover. Inducing labour at term. BMJ 2006;332 (7540). (4 March.)

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