title: Time to stop sniffing the air: snapshot survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the phrase "sniffing the morning air" is useful in positioning patients for tracheal intubation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Snapshot survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  21 anaesthetists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Angles of neck, line of sight, and hip to shoulder, as measured on a photograph.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Angles ranged widely, especially line of sight: 7 degrees -37 degrees with horizontal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As patients are positioned supine, rather than standing, the phrase is unhelpful; an explicit description of head position would be better.
authors.affiliation: Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Neville W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Goodman
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D011187:Posture; D011364:Professional Practice; D016683:Supine Position