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Exhibition Review Essay Digest Exhibition review either from her history (such as she could SHINING LIGHTS EXHIBITION: in the optimum number for the greatest give) or physical examination, and all my THE STORY OF SCOTLAND’S coverage of the thousands of miles of wild tests were negative. I requested a LIGHTHOUSES Scottish coastline, a possible metaphor for domiciliary psychogeriatric consultation, National Museum of Scotland, how to spread precious resources to and sweated blood over my referral letter. Edinburgh until 3 April 2011 minimise inequalities in the NHS ... In return I got a charming letter, whose www.nms.ac.uk/shininglights The variety of lenses and mirrors opening paragraph made me wish myself providing the power for the lights which at the bottom of a very deep dark hole. It This exhibition marks the bicentenary of the ultimately guided the ships to safer waters read: lighting of the world’s oldest rock were the result of cutting-edge technology lighthouse — the Bell Rock which lies excelled at by the French. One of the best ‘Dear Dr Lasserson, Thanks so much 12 miles off Arbroath in the North Sea. The known examples is the Fresnel lens, an for asking me to see this interesting museum’s collection of lighthouse-related awesome structure of sharp angles and lady, and for your most helpful letter. I objects was mainly assembled in the late beauty taking centre stage on the exhibition must say that my first impression was 19th century and is a remarkable testament floor. that she could well be hypothyroid to some very special individuals who Alongside the science are the very and, indeed, her thyroid function tests devoted themselves to saving lives by human stories of the many keepers of the confirm this …’. building and manning the lighthouses lights, the last of whom stepped down from whose design and groundbreaking his formidably rigorous duties in 1998 as I fired off an immediate reply along the engineering achievements this exhibition the final remaining manned lighthouse was lines of ‘ Mea maxima culpa !’ and the celebrates. automated. Living as they had to in the response was one of comforting The Stevenson family epitomised the most inhospitable corners of the country, reassurance together with the comment values prevalent in much of Presbyterian their sacrifices are given prominence that ‘we all miss these things…’ and, of Scotland in the late 18th and 19th throughout the exhibition. course, so we do. What made such an centuries; a ferocious work ethic, loyalty to A suitable motto for this exhibition of exchange easy was that I knew the the cause of saving lives, and a respect for blending cutting-edge science with human consultant; we all knew our consultants, the sea which at times was sorely tested. endeavour in the service of mankind would their strengths and their special interests, Over four generations this family was be Cum Scientia Caritas ... if you’re in through the relationships we had slowly responsible for the planning, designing and Edinburgh pop in and see it. It’s free and built up over the years through our direct construction of 97 of the 208 lighthouses very humbling. referrals to them; something which, sadly, peppered round the Scottish coast. A map is no longer possible. As this has gone, so of their distribution seems to illustrate the Murray Lough and Niall Cameron does it seem that there is no longer a place utilitarian economy of scale which resulted DOI: 10.3399/bjgp11X561456 in our referrals for good concise English, itself another casualty of the box-ticking Rattray Head, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, designed by David Alan Stevenson. system; and so there is no longer room for individuality of style, for the occasional aphorism, the relevant quotation or, indeed, anything which makes a referral letter stand out as a personal document. Are we, I wonder, heading back to ‘ Dear Doctor, Please see and treat ’? Michael Lasserson DOI: 10.3399/bjgp11X561447 e i w o C n a I : t i d e r C British Journal of General Practice, March 2011 233.
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