Imperial Valley press., 1918-06-01
RECRUIT TAUGHT
PROTECT HIMSELF.
FROM GAS ATTACK
w. SIS

/ iJO1VV 0tI0 'b sshS'
One of the First Things Taught the
New Soldier Is the Methods Used
for Wardng Off the Poisonous
Fumes Used by the Germans More
and More as War Goes On.
Behind the British Lines in France,
Auril Correspondence of the As
sociated Press. One Of the essential
PARTS of a recruits training is that
which teaches him to protect hlmse.i
against gas attack. 1t mas oeen
proved that practically complete secu-,
rity can be obtained against TINS fat-
est weapon, but that such security is
dependent upon previous training.
This special training is profided for
every British recruit by the special
gas schools" established at convlent
|ooints behind the front. Every re-
cruit must complete course OF IN
struction here before he is allowed to
take his place in the front line.
"The objects of our training SAID
the British officer who showed the
Associated Press correspondent thru
;, one of these schok, "are to familiar
ize the soldier with the various anti
gas apparatus, and to fix firmly IN
his mind the two chief aXioms to be
learned in the use of gas-the first
being that carelessness may mean
sudden death, the second that pro-
per procedure gives absolute lmmuni-
ty from any i'll effects.
, The gases employed by the enemy
are of two kinds, lethal and non-le-
= thai. The first class will produce
: death if breathed in sufficient guam
titles. The second class include lach-
+ rymatory or tear gas, and number
= of similar gases used to produce mere
t " temporary effects. The gases are
= employed in two ways, by release
. from cylinders when favorable winds
: are blowing, or by enclosing them IN
shells fired from guns and trench
mortars.
At the gas school the men are
y taught to protect themselves against
/. both forms. Two appliances are usec
q in the British army. "The box respir
ator," which is the newest and mos
J. important of these, consists of of
s. flaxible mask that fits over the face
This mask is fitted with glass win
dows for the eyes, a clip to cover The
nostrils to prevent the wearer breath
ing through the nose and specla
mouthpiece fitted with a valve. The
\ mbouthpiece permits of free eXnala,
ton, but forces inhalation to take
place through a tin box, connected tc
the mouthpiece by flexible tube ant
containing the chemicals that absort
the gas, allowing only pure air to pas:
j. into the lungs. The whole device is
It carried by every soldier in satche
# slung over the chest.
h The men are trained to put the ap
W pliance into use in the minimum time
h AS soon as they are expert in the de
.. tails of fitting the mask they are pu
10 through various drills, carrying thu
"a apparatus. At word of command
they stop instantly whatever they arr
II doing and fit the mask into position
# These drills are continued until an en-
9. tire company can protect itself in
% few seconds.
~ They are then exercised in carrying
in out more complicated drills, including
,t prolonged doublequick marching will
Il the apparatusin place, until they arr
h fully accustomed to working under th'
- inconvenience caused thereby.
Each man is given a respirator t.
- fit him perfectly, and which thencce
r. forth becomes his personal property
= The fit is tested by placing each MAJ
,s for several minutes in chamber hea
70 vily charged iwth gas. If he exhibit
!, any symptoms Of discomfort at tn
-, end of the test, he must be fitted witt
70 a new mask In order OF inspire con
o fidence, he is later put through tn
= most exacting tests in roms file
~ with the most deadly gases, fror
T.. which he suffers no i'll effects what
n ever.
II A later step in the gas school train
ing is methods of clearing gas out O
dugouts. The gas, being heavier tina
air. collects in such places if allowe
A to, and the methods of constructing
at impervious doors, impervious blanke
n curtains, and similar devices, are ais
IL. .---..-..iA -. La,I.la thn Ial.ir L,