'Assistant grasp here'

Seems pretty straightforward, what?

I mean, anyone who can fog a mirror and read English ought to be able to follow the instructions.

Well, that's where you'd be wrong.

The cardboard tag pictured above is attached to the end of a long, narrow strip of paper that ties up a surgeon's (or scrub nurse's) gown.

First, though, whoever's wearing the gown has to spin around, then grasp the top (white) part of the tag so as to remain sterile, unlike the assistant.

Whenever there's no one else in the room and I'm the only one available to play the role of "assistant," I get very anxious because even after many years of watching thousands of individuals gown, I'm still not sure exactly what it is I'm supposed to do to not mess up the sterility of the operation.

In fact, having to assist in gowning up makes me more anxious than giving anesthesia.

Go figure.