Evening star., 1918-05-26
TRAINED AGAINST GAS
At SPECIAL SCHOOLS
Elaborate System Employed to
Teach British Recruit to
Protect Himself.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press

Correspondence Of the Associated Press.
BEHIND BRITISH LINES IN
FRANCE, May 1.-One of the most
essential parts of recruits training
is that which. teaches him to protect
himself against gas attack. 1t has
been proved that practically COM
piete security can be obtained against
this latest weapon, but that such Sc
curity is dependent upon previous
training. This special training is
provided for every British recruit
by the special "gas schools" estab-
lished at convenient points behind
the front. Every recrpit must COM
plete course of instruction here
before he is allowed to take his place
in the front line
THE objects of our training" said
the British officer " no showed the AS
sociated Press correspondent through
one of these schools. ARE to familiar
ize the soldier with the various anti
his mind the two chief axioins to be
learned in the use of gas. the first
being that carelessness may mean
sudden death. the second that a
proper procedure gives absolute i'm
munity from any ill-eHect."
The gases employed by the enemy
are of two kinds. lethal and nom
lethal. The first class will produce
death if breathed in sufficient quanti-
ties. The second class include lach-
rymatory or tear gas, and number
of similar gases used to produce mere
employed in two ways. by release from
cylinders when favorable winds are
blowing. or by inclosing them in
shells fired from guns and trench
mortars.
Flexible Mask Fits Over Face.
At the gas school the men are
taught to protect themselves against
both forms. Two appliances are used
pirator." which is the newest and
most important of these. consists of a
flexible 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
breathing through the nose and a
special mouthpiece fitted with a
valve. The mouthpiece admits of free
exhalation. but forces inhalation to
take place through a tin box, con-
nected to the mouthpiece by a flexi-
BILE tube. and containing the chem
only pure air to pass into the lungs
The whole device is carried by every
soldier in a satchel sIung over the
chest.
The men are trained to put the ap-
pliance into use in a minimum time
tails of fitting the mask they are pu,
through various drills, carrying f.ie
apparatus. At a word of command
they stop instantly whatever they are
doing and fit the mask into position
These drills are continued until a
whole company can protect itself iI
few seconds.
They are then exercised in carrying
out more complicated drills, including
prolonged double-quick marching
with the apparatus in place, until they
are fully accustomed to working un-
der the Inconvenience caused thereby
Put Through Exacting Tests.
Each man is given a respirator tina,
fits him perfectly. and which hence
forth becomes his personal property
The fit is tested by placing each mar
for several minutes in a chamber
heavily charged with gas. II he ex-
hibits any symptoms of discomfort
at the end of the test. he must bt
fitted win new mask. In order to in
spire confidence, he is later pu'
through the most exacting tests ir
rooms filled with the most deadl,
, effects whatever
A later step III the gas school !.
training in methods of clearing ga:
out of dugouts. and methods of pre-
venting gas getting into dugouts. Th'
gas. being heavier that air, collect!
| in such places il allowed to. and th'
| methods of constructing imperviou!
doors. impervious blanket curtains
and similar devices are shown. Thu
recruit is shown the principles of ven
tilation, whereby gas can be blown
out of dugouts by the use Of fans o.
! by lighting fires at favorable points
| near the entrance. Actual expert
nents along these lines are carried
| out in the school and are studied b.
| the men,.
Most Essential Thing Is Warning
! The most essential thing to be don
! in case of gas attack. the instructo
tells his pupils, is to warn everybod
within, reach. The men are show
how to construct gas gongs out OF an
material at hand, such as length o
! railway iron or artillery cartridg
cases, and where to place such alarm
so that they may best be heard. Tn
use of the "Strombes horn," a specia
form of motor horn worked by a cyl
inder of compressed air. is also ex
planned.
| A study is also made of the mean
employed for ascertaining the direc
tion and strength of the wind, SO tina
in the trenches the man may kno,
when a gas attack is likely.
The whole system of trafping," sal
the officer in charge, 'is devised t
lproduce in the men a personal inter
est in the subject, SO that they ma
keen their heads in a special emer
gency II they can do this, they nee
have no fear Of this latest weapon Q
war"
Crown Prince Drawing for Pape,