Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-05-03

yiSed by the gas uelenSe sei'-
ice of the medical department,
yHMSSNnNSNv which comprises about 100 Off
uAIeNl1yNi6lu GERS and approximately 600 en-
listed men
The two principal factors in gas defense are ef-
fectiye masks and thorough training of soldiers
In the use of masks and various methods OF avoid
ing contact with poisonous vapors
Expcrts who have been sent to this country by
the allied governments have pronounced the pres
ent American masks the most efficient In existence.
The production Of these masks is progressing ut a
rate which nsures that the requirements OF the
American troops abroad will be amply supplied.
At each cantonment in the United States a gas
defense school has been established and placed IN
charge Of a divisional gas officer, who WORKS III
junction with the chemical adviser, both traiheu
in the theory and practice of meeting gas Or
fensives. Through these schools every 0filcer ana
man receives instruction as to proper means OF
gas defense
The use of gas I'm warfare dates back to about
4O4 b. G. The Spartans saturated wood with pitch
and sulphur and burned 1t under the walls OF GU
les which they were attacking. For several cen
turtles gas had not been used in warfare ana The
Hague convention definitely ruled against It,
However, on April %. 1915 the Germans liberated
great clouds of gas against Canadian troops near
Ypres Terrible destruction and decentralization re-
suited from this first gas attack, and within a
week England made plans for gas warfare against
the Germans. Gas is now an everyday part OF
war;
Gases may he employed in the form of clouds.
or In shells, bombs and hand grenades. The first
gas attacks In the present war were In clouds.
Fumes were liberated from steel containers which
were distributed in groups Of three or four at
intervals of 80 yards along the trenches opposite
the line to be attacked. Tubes, provided with a
stOpcock attachment were connected with the gas
tanks, and the end of the tube was passed over
the parapet. When the attack was intended
signal was given and the stOpcOcks were opened,
allowing the gas to escape in the form OF liquid
which Immediately vapOrized.
Soon after the first German gas attack Eng
lish and French women sent to the front hundreds
of thousands Of homemade gas masks. For the
most part they were merely bandages impregnated
with chemicals to wrap around the mouth ana
nose.
The next step in gas masks was cloth helmet
or hood which had been dipped in neutrazing So
luton, the bottom of which was tucked in the
collar. The next improvement was to put In an
exhaust or outlet for the exhaled air. This type
of mask has been used extensively.
The small box respiratOr mask was next de-
veloped. and it is the model of the mask We are
at present using. 1t is the highest development,
afforiing good protection. 1t has an impervi-
Gus face-pieca with glass or cellulOid eyepieces.
held In place by rubber bands around the head.
canister Is carried in a small knapsack and fex-
ible tube connects the box in the face-piece. In
side the facepiece Is a small wire clamp with rub
Der pads which fits on the nose and forces the
wearer to breathe through his mouth. The end
Of the flexible tube has a rubber mOuthpece
through which the man breathes. The incoming
breath comes through the canister. which Is filled
with several layers of special chemicals Of an
absorbent nature which neuralIze or render HARM
less the gas-laden air. The outgoing breath
passes outside the face-pece through small rub
Der valve.
The American gas defense service is divided
into three separate parts: Q) Field supply Sec
ton; (2) field training section; (3) overseas re-
pair section.
The function Of the field supply section is to
manufacture or procure all gas-defense materials
and equipment The big work of course Is to
furnish our troops with effective masks. The
small box respirator type of mask. admittedly the
best mask In existence, was accepted as model.
The manufacture of gas mask Of this type
presented problem. No manufacturing firms had
experience with an article Of this kind. More
than ordinary care must be used in making parts
because the slightest defect would render the
mask useless. The wide variety Of materials going
into the mask made ii necessary to have the parts
made in separate plants and assembled at a CEN
trail plant. At present about sixty manufacturing
firms contribute directly to the making of the
American mask.
With no actual experience to depend upon. much
experimental and research work was necessary.
An extensive experimental organization was built
Iup with branches I'm several cities. Recently Ii
Twas decided to establish a governmentOperated
plant to handle the final assembling and the diff
ldcult sewing operations on the face-piece. This
plant will be in full operation, with about
1000 employees.
The American mask. similar to the British. Is rs
mechanically perfect the best experts In the
country have been able to produce. The vital fea-
ture Of any respirator mask Is the chemicals con-
itained in the canister. These chemicals and abb
sorbents are made from secret formulate
The facepiece consists of base of cotton fab
ric carefully rubberized. These facepieces are
made to fit various types Of faces. network OF
.eastic bands over the head holds the facepece In
place The ears are left uncovered.
J The mask Is carried In knapsack at the left hip
supported by q shoulder band. When troops ap-
iproach o danger zone the straps are shortened and
the knapsack Is shifted to rest high on the chest
ready for instant USE This is known the alert
lposition" The soldier has merely to open the
lknapsack pull out the flexible hose with the face
niece attached. put the rubber mOuthpiece In his
mouth and adjust the bands his head. The
nose clip can easily be adjusted from the outside
after the facepiece Is on. This nose clip insures
nm nilcu Gel E c0NElOENcE more tragi