The History Of The Gas Mask

BY: P L

Info On Filters Filters come in many different

shapes and sizes but they all use the same concepts and principles. Most gas masks are made mostly up of charcoal and a little other bit of filtering chemicals. These other filtering chemicals neutralize the bad chemicals or bacteria in the air. Some gas masks also have a piece of fine woven felt in it to catch the large nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) particles in the air.

P-M on Filters

• Positive: now a day there is something else which is a lot safer. It’s called chromium VI which is also known as a carcinogen which is harmless when solid but when damaged or over the age of 8 years old should be disposed of as if it was hazardous material.

• Minus: until about 50 years ago there was something called asbestos which was in the mask. It causes bad respiratory problems and is not used any more. It is replaced with something else less harmful.

The Inventors 1/2

• Leonardo Da Vinci: thought about making a mask made out of wet cloth, and in 1849 an man by the name of Lewis P. Haslett went off of Leonardo’s idea and made a lung-protector made out of wet wool.

• Other people: in the 1600’s tried to make a mask to protect from plagues and viruses. They used herbs and spices for it. John Stenhouse’s used charcoal as the filter and George Crofutt’s rubber eye and lung protector and William Moran made a mask out of asbestos for firemen.

The Inventors 2/2

• Garret A. Morgan: he created the “Morgan safety hood and smoke protector” was patented in 1912 and was mostly for fireman and engineering work where hazardous gases are present; but was not meant in any way for war events.

The Gas Masks of 1917-1930

• 1917’s-1930: during this period gas masks took a leap of faith and were used in the military. All the masks at that time were big, heavy and had very inefficient filtering. You had almost zero sight in this mask. The filters lasted less than an hour each.

• In this picture is a1919 mask which looks very tight. This mask used by the U.S. Navy.

Gas Masks of 1939-1948

• 1939-1948: gas masks were starting to show their advantages. Demand was rising and the quality of the masks decreasing. There were varieties of masks, but most failed. The masks were heavy and bulky by today‘s standards. They developed better glass, but it dirtied easily. The masks were poorly made and expensive.

Gas Masks of 1951-1968• 1951-1968: these gas masks were

similar to today's except they were not as comfortable, and the filter was dangerous. The lenses were clear and were rain proof. The masks were well made and were still very popular. The military was now putting filters on the side of the mask by your cheek and was attached directly. The mask’s design progressed and they could now drink from a concealed straw.

The Gas Masks of 1980-1990

• 1980-1990:these masks were almost like ours today except for the technology and comfort. They had the same filter and lens as today. They were still a small burden but not as much as the 1950’s masks. As you can tell by the picture the mask design has progressed and is doing well.

The Gas Masks of 1991-2002

• 1991-2002:these masks are the ones we use today in the field and are very little burden and are light. These masks are good looking and have Plexiglas lenses that are shatter proof and don’t dirty easily. You can tell by the picture that this is the most advanced mask.

Other Gas Masks!

• Horse mask: the US in WWI created the mask. It consisted of a muzzle piece connected to two filters.

• Armored car mask:was a light mask that had a small filter and the option to hook up to an oxygen tank.

• Air flight masks:were for dropping the NBC weapons and doing low scouting missions.

The horse mask

The Related Vocabulary Words

• Innovators- innovators are people who create new ideas and products just like Garret A. Morgan when he created the “Morgan safety hood and smoke protector”.

• Labor- labor is the act of people who are working in a factory or something that requires physical or mental work. The people that made the masks were working in a factory to do it.

• Great war- the great war was WWI and the gas masks were worn and made during WWI and therefore is related to the great war.

How Its Related to History

• Since WWI, the gas mask has been use to protect people from deadly nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. It has saved the lives of many. They have allowed us to win anything from wars to fires, and have allowed us to do remarkable things over the years. The gas mask was used in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, Korea, desert storm and beyond.

What Do I Want to Teach You

• I want to teach that over the past century’s NBC has been made and has killed many and no matter how hard we try to protect ourselves we will always suffer in the aftermath. I propose that the US stop all countries that produce weapons of mass destruction and rid them of them. If they don’t cooperate we should force them until they do. Nobody wants, or should have to die for something they have no say or part in. Gas masks are the way we protect ourselves, and if other countries want a fight,they should fight with wits and skill not mass killing.

1. What does NBC stand for (its not the T.V station)?

2. Until about 50 years ago what filtering agent in gas masks was harmful?

3. Name 2 wars big events in history that the gas mask was involved in?

Answers:

The Group

Above:A group of soldiers from WWI wearing a variety of masks.

The Sites!• www.nofuture.comThis site is were I got most of my info for this project and most of my pictures.

This slide is informational! Just click on a pic!