MAY I thank Thelma Edwards (Letters, May 24) for her two most femininely practical suggestions for more easily tying hospital gowns than the "method direct". In fact I have contemplated both in the past but ruled them out in my case on basis of a most probable geometric incompatibility between gown and my corporation.

My original letter was slightly tongue in cheek, as I hope your readers spotted, but here is a serious suggestion to solve this knotty problem. Let the gown manufacturers drag themselves into the 20th (sic) century by abandoning tapes in favour of nylon, or better, Velcro studs; the latter of which are x-ray friendly.

Darrell Desbrow,

Overholm, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.

MANY thanks to Thelma Edwards for sharing her simple but ingenious method of coping with hospital gowns which tie at the back – arms in, tie at front, arms out, turn gown round, arms in.

I recall the embarrassment of my first attempt when it seemed logical to tie the bow at the front, the nurses' amusement and absence of approval.

Hopefully the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport will read The Herald and arrange forthwith nurse-led airline safety-type demonstrations for beginners.

Or perhaps our antics brighten-up our over-worked nurses' day.

R Russell Smith,

96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.