A breath of fresh air.

A corporate video presumably for sales representatives about Fisons asthma products. The video has surprisingly high production aesthetics - there are a number of well-known sports and television actors who appear (and happen to be asthma sufferers). The video includes clips from their achievements. Professor J.B.L. Howell, the Dean of Medicine at Southampton University, explains asthma. Firstly, Alan Pascoe, a British Olympian in the hurdles, talks about how his childhood was effected by asthma. Jane Manning, a professional soprano singer and teacher, also shares her experience and understanding of her condition. She learnt to breathe differently. An actor, Donald Sinden, speaks about his asthma (he is in his dressing room for a show he is about to perform in). He reminisces about his treatment; his father was a GP and used to hear Donald as a child struggling with his breathing. His father's answer was to administer injections - sometimes in the middle of the night. Dr Anthony Storr, a leading authority on psychiatry and Anthony Camden, an oboeist with the London Symphony Orchestra also share their experiences. Continuing in this vein, Louise Miller the UK record holder for the high jump, also talks about her asthma. Rodney Bewes (well-known for his performance in the 'Likely Lads') also suffered from asthma as a child - there is a short clip on the set of the 'Likely Lads' film with his co-star. Chris Drury, an oarsman, also has asthma. Then there are a few clips from the film of 'Swallows and Amazons'; Dr Roger Altounyan as a child knew Sir Arthur Ransome and he became the inspiration for a character in the book. Dr Altounyan then goes onto talk about his own experience of asthma and how he experimented on himself and discovered a breakthrough treatment for asthma. He is filmed sitting on one of the Egyptian sphinxes which are located by Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames in London. He developed sodium cromoglycate and also a means to dispense the medicine safely by creating a spin inhaler (he talks about his war service as a pilot being instrumental in this discovery). As a result of this new medicine, the Asthma Society was set up to enable people to discuss their experiences and treatment.