DARRELL Desbrow is flummoxed by having to tie hospital gown bows at the back (Letters, May 22). There is absolutely no problem. Put the gown on as if you are tying the bow or bows at the front, then after doing so take your arms out of the sleeves, turn the gown around so that the bows are at the back, put your arms into the sleeves again and, as the saying goes, “Bob’s your uncle”.

The only time I have been defeated was when I was given a gown which had tapes which had to be tied top left to middle right and top right to middle left creating a cross-over, so after a bit of swearing I gave up and did my own version which looked rather odd. The nurse made no comment but I could see she was amused. The procedure went ahead without any difficulties being due to my idiosyncratic tape-tying.

I think that this tape-tying is easier for me as I was around when the fashion, in the 1950s, for wearing one’s cardigan back-to-front was all the rage. It did take a while for my 15-year-old idiot self to work out that I should button it up first then slip it over my head with the buttons down the back, and not stand with the thing on, unbuttoned and back to front, looking in the mirror as I tried to match up the buttons with the holes. Thank goodness we improve somewhat as we leave our teens behind.

Tackling things like tape-tying come under the heading of “the appliance of science”, I am afraid.

Thelma Edwards,

Old Comrades Hall,

Hume,

Kelso.