South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-02-28
WARN AGAINST USE
Of ARMY CAS- MASK
Dangerous For Firemen in In
duStTiaI and Mines Be-
cause of Atmosphere.

WASHINGTON, Feb. IS. A
warning against the IEols-riainate
use OF -he army sas mask in me in
dis-ries and by arc departments as
being dangerous TO life was issued
yesterday Dr. Van r. Man1ing. di-
rector NJ the bureau Of mines. de-
partmeHt Of the interior.
Through tho fact that the Amer
lean army gas mask proved TO be
most efficient FOR the purposes In
tended. said Mr. Manning I'm his
statement. there has grown up
general belief on the part OF tne
public that this type Of mask VIII
protect the wearer under an cgndI-
J tons against any gas whatsoever.
even in absolutely irrespira bic air.
70 the exclusion Of the more cum
bersome mine rescue breath
ms apparatus. This erroneous be-
lief viii no doubt be further con-
! hrmed by millions of discharged
soldiers, who have been trained I'm
the use Of the gas mask and have
been taught that IL gives them alb
solute protection against all gases
used or likely 10 be used in warfare.
These men will not realize that out
in the open air Of the Battlefield
the percentage of gas in the atmos-
phere can never be anywhere near
as large as may occur in the con
fined space Of factory operations. A
mask may afford complete protec- +
ton under Out-Of- doors conditions. f.
yet break down at once when used &
indoors, where a gas container has
burst and filed the room with q
greater concentration of gas. It.
must also be remembe that the .
absorbents in the army respirator,
which filter out the poison gas. are .
especially designed for the gases 1
used In warfare, and as a matter 4
of fact do not protect against the /
most common Industrial gases as. /
for example. Illuminating. natural. I
producer and blast-furnace gases.
Depend on AmOsphcrcs.
The army gas mask should !
never be used in mines, because of
the uncertainty that exists as TO
the amounts of gases in the atmos-
phere and the liability of there be-
ing insufficient oxygen to support
life. Its use in the mines will lead
o serious accidents and fatalities.
The army gas mask is by no
means the unsual protective appIi-
ance that il is popularity believed
It does not afford absolute protec-
ton against all gases, nor can it
ever be safely used in low-oxygen
atmOspheres. Ii furnishes no Oxy-
gen to the wearer and only can re-
move comparatively small peEcen-
tages of poisonous gas from inhaled
air. usually less than one or two
per cent. Higher percentages will
Immediately penetrate the canister
and viii gas the wearer.
The field of usefulness Of the
army mask is confined to certain
of the chemical industries, around
smelters and roasters where sulphur
fumes are given off. and in the in
dustries using chlorine and bleach
ing powder The army canister also I
contains cotton filter pads. which
remove irritating and poisonous
dusts. which increases .ts useful
ness around smelters where sulphur
and arsenic fumes must be re-
moved.
Not Fit for Fircmcn.
THE army mask furnishes no
protection whatever against carbon
monoNide. This is the poisonous
constituent of blast furnace, pro
duCer and Eliminating gases. and
of mine gases after fires and ex-
plosions I'm coal mines. Carbon I
monoNidc is also likely to he present
in ordinary fire fighting conditions
met by fire departments. Moreover
i'm all of these cases there is likely
TO be a deficiency OF oxygen There
fore for adequate protection the
oxygen breathing apparatus must be
used, and reliance on the army mask
may be fatal.
THE army mask furnishes no pro-
lection whatever against carbon
mouoNide This IFS the poisonous
constituent Of blast furnace. pro-
ducer and illuminating gases. and
of mine gases after fires and eXplo-
sions I'm coal mines Carbon
mouoxide is also likely To be present
Iu ordinary hrt lighting conditions
met by fire departments More
over. ion an OF these cases there is
likely 30 be deficiency of oxygen.
Therefore for adequate protection
me oxygen breathing apparatus
must ue used. and reliance on The
army mask may be fatal
lowing 90 Che many factors en-
terinE into the use of protective rc-
epratory appliances. the Importance
OF competent advice on the selection
and use Of such appliances cannot
ue oEcrcstimdted I'm couue ction
with the bureaus work I'm safe
guarding the health and safety OF
miners and Workmeu i'm the metal
lureieal industries. general inyes-
LEGATION of respiEators. gas masks
and hroat thing appliances is 20 Dee
undertaken at the Pittsburgh expert
uont station Of the bureau. The re-
suits of these Investigations will be
eiven 90 the industries promptly"