The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-07-18
MILITARY GAS MASKS
NOT ADAPTED TO MINES
MINE GASES DIFFICULT TO AB.
SoRe-sUPPLY OF OXYGEN
MUST BE PROVIDED.

Mining men who are familiar with
the oxygen mine rescue apparatus
used by rescut men at mine eXplo-
sions have been making inquiries of
the bureau of mines. department of
the interior, as to whether or not
the military masks worn by the sold
iers as a guard against poison gas
attacks would not be serviceable at
mine disasters The military mask
is so much lighter in weight and
therefore so much easier carried that
the miners are wondering if they
cannot be used instead of the heavier
oxygen mine rescue apparatus
In answering queries of this char
acter George S. Rice, chief engineer
of the bureau. has the following to
say:
Military gases which may be
discharged from pipe, or in later
usage through the agency of shells,
are poisonous in character, and per-
haps may be Immediately irritating
to the eyes and skin. On the other
hand, these gases discharged in the
open air are rapidly diluted so that
high concentrations are generally
only momentary except in dugouts
which must be cleared by flaming
out. Moreover, there is never a ma
terial deficiency in oxygen.
Mine Gases.
1.-THE mine atmosphere after ex-
plosions or during fires contains the
highly poisonous carbon monoxide gas,
one of the most difficult gases to alb
sorb chemically and may be in high
degrees of concentration for a long
period; and also, what is more i'm
portant there is usually so serious a
deficiency in oxygen particularly after
explosions that even if there were no
poisonous gas present a man could
not live
ut is self evident therefore, that
the purpose of the military mask is
to absorb the poisonous gases present
and these gases are sometimes very
complicated in composition and a
great variety of them are used. The
supplying Of oxygen other than at
mospheric oxygen is necessary. On
the other hand, the first requisite of
the mine rescue apparatus which is
used at the military front in tunnel
ing operations compels the supply Of
sufficient oxygen. viz: 20 per cent
of the atmosphere and the exclusion
OF high concentrations of gases.
Hence the necessity of having the
apparatus self contained shutting off
all the external atmosphere
Mine Apparatus Used by Allies.
ut may further aid in explaining
the situation to state that very large
numbers of the regular oxygen mine
rescue apparatus are being used both
by the enemy and the allies of the
United States in tunnelng and CEN
ira -tunneling operations as well as
other special purposes.
"a third service requiring special
apparatus is the aviation service.
There are no poisonous gases to con-
tend with, but the need is for oxygen
to supply the deficiency at high alti-
tudes. The conditions are special
and the apparatus would be of no
use for any other service.
1T will therefore, he seen that so
far as mine rescue and mine recovery
work Is concerned it is idle to con-
slider that the military masks could
be used as substitute; they are of no
value for the purpose. although with
may be developed which may be
adaptable for use in special cases or
vapors in metallurgical plants. G.
A. Burrell of the bureau is now work