The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1918-10-04
CASFUMESDEADLY
Oevilish German Device Fatal
to All Forms of Life.
Without Proper Masks There ls No Es.
eape-Even Rats In the Trenches
Succumb-Horses Now Fit
ted With Respirators.

The intensity Of the phosgene gas
wave can be gathered from the fact
that buttons and ammunition were
quickly corroded and turned a villain
Gus green color. In a few cases rifles
stuck and Lewis guns jammed, owing
to the effects Of the gas on the m
munition and the breech mechanism.
One good thing about the attacl was
that most of the rats in the trenches
were killed. All attempts to clear them
out had been useless. But what fer
rets and terriers and virus could not
accomplish the Boche gas did.
Curiously enough, two kittens, which
inhabited the dugout of the command
ing officer Of one of the b%attalions Of
the Scottish Borderers, who were In
reserve, came through 1t alive. The kit
tens were badly gassed and lay breath
Ing rapidly, suffering from spasms and
with p~rofuse salvation. Possibly their
fur helped to absorb some of the gas,
for five hours later the little victims
we're almost themselves again, though
they continued to cough occasionally,
and drank water continually. The wa-a
ter they took in preference to milk. !
The fourth German attack Of 1916
was made June II, In Flanders, near
Meissines. Like those Of April, 1t was
intensely strong, very short, and went
over in successive waves at intervals
Of about 20 minutes. I had no per
sonal experience Of this attack, but
the cloud must have been very strong,
for it killed animals at "Plugstreet,"
three and a half miles away, and was
quite distinctly perceptible even at
Bethune. At the "Piggeries"-the re-
mains of a model farm in rea Of
Plugstreet Wood belonging to a notn-
BILE French sportsman-a calf was
found dead, after the passage Of the
cloud, with the body very much blown
out. Dead rats lay in close prox-
unity.
Even farther back than this animals
were seriously affected. The army
mules in the line Of the gas were
seized with fits of coughing and kick
ed violently, making them even more
difficult to handle than usual. 1t Is
probably not realized that horse masks
are now issued on a scale suffi-
cient to provide protection for all
horses and mules, such as those of
the first line transport and the artil-
lery, which have to approach any
where neal the lines.
The present form of these respira-
tors &c fhnt Of N htU hoo cnolyn1 IN
chemicals which fits over tire animals
nostrils, leaving its mouth free SO
that the use Of the bit is not interfered
with. When not in use the horse res
pirator folds up very nicely and
neatly into a canvas case which can
be carried on the breastband of the
harness or any place from which 1t
can be quickly adjusted. Some Of the
animals take to these massachusetts
ators," some wag called them
quite quickly, but others are siren
uous DIRECTORS; some Of those
hardened sinners, the mules, transfer
ring themselves into masses Of teeth
and hOofs whenever an attempt is
made to fix m the gas bags.
These masks have proved of the
greatest value and have saved any
number of horses lives. The cavalry
are not provided with them, as it Is
not anticipated that they will be near
enough to be affected by gas cloud at
tacks, and when the cavalry are mount
ed and in action it is unlikely that they
will meet even poison gas shells in
large numbers. Added to this is the
fact that a horse can stand more gas
than a man without being distressed
Maj. s. M. j. Aud In Saturday Evening
Post.