Remember Emergency Ward 10 from the early 60s? Nurse Young, Dr Dawson, Sister Doughty. They never used the definite article did they? (Still don't.) They would say 'nurse will give you a bedbath' or 'doctor will be doing his rounds shortly'.

Sister Doughty was my favourite, immaculately turned out in a dark blue uniform with white trimmings. And she was very slim...not like today's lot who waddle in and out of the ward wearing unisex workwear having just been outside for a cigarette. You see them later in Tesco doing their shopping, still wearing the same clothes and being mistaken for shelf fillers.

 

You'd never catch Sister Doughty outside smoking

with the dressing-gowned drip-fed crowd choking

before waddling back germ-laden to the ward

 

No...she was de rigeur, full of vigour,

smartly dressed with a sylph-like figure

whose appearance we'd rightly applaud

 

And she would never be seen al fresco

seamlessly mingling with floor staff at Tesco

of that we were safely assured