Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-05-18

Ciie pes1 ana most protective gas
masks the world had seen; and thew
brought these with them by the mil
lions" A total of 5,250,000 masks was
produced of which 100000 were sent
overseas and the report states that
these masks gave 20 times the pro-
lection afforded by the best German
gas Masks"
"No American soldier was ever
gassed due to the failure of an Ameri-
can gas mask" the report says, land
such gas casualties as did occur were
due to the fact that the masks were
not quickly enough utilized when the
gas was thrown over, or because the
soldier was unaware of the presence
of gas"
The original order from the depart
n1ent was for $4,000 masks to go with
Pershing's first expedition and the re-
port tells in detail of the frantic eff
forts necessary to procure them, eff
forts which actually counted for lit
tie since the masks were not used for
many months. At the time the expedi-
ton sailed, however, the British and
French were no thoroughly acquainted
with the gas warfare that was devel-
oping nor had completed effective
protection been worked out. In speak
ing of the first German gas attack
upon Canadian troops at Ypres, the
report says chlorine was used and
while protection of the troops from it
later became an easy matter, "it was
used and while protection of the troops
LOT
it was only lack of faith in their new
weapons that prevented the Germans
from winning the war with it then
and there"
Effect Is Deadly.
"Had they brought into the fight
ing a sufficient supply of this chlor-
ine," the report continues, ''they
might have gassed their way to Paris
in short order. At it was, they brought
to the line an almost neglible supply
and they themselves were insuffi-
GENTLY protected to go through their
own gas and follow up the attack. By
the time they were able to renew gas
warfare the French and British had
equipped themselves with masks
which were sufficient to protect men
against chlorine"
The report tells of the development
of gas masks from the original gauze
pads soaked in chemicals to the "box
respirator". which came into general
use. The Americans and British en-
ployed double protection mask, the
face piece being gas tight, but, to in
sure against leaks, mouth piece and
nose clip being supplied also, insur-
ing protection even in torn mask.
The first order was for 100000 of
these masks for the American forces.
Subsequently, to provide greater
comfort for the men,. it was decided
abroad that a single protection mask
would be sufficient the risk of leaky
masks being regarded as preferable
to the discomfort of the double pro-
lection type. When this decision was
received, however, on this side, it was
decided to carry forward experiments
with new types of masks which would
give both comfort and security. This
was carried forward to point where
squad of $50 men in the field test
ing section almost lived in their gas
masks, working, playing baseball, dig
cling trenches, fighting sham battles
day and nigh in which actual gas
grenades were employed and exposing
themselves to the heaviest concentra-
tions of the deadly gases under all
conditions.
"The work of this section" the re-
port says, "even went as far in the
case of the later designs as to include
a test where six men worked, played
and slept in the masks for an entire
week, only taking them off for 80
minutes at each meal time, and each
day entering high concentration of
the most deadly gases without injury
to the wearers."
Carbon Abs0rbs Gas.
The chief ingredient of the protect
ton against gases is carbon, which
absorbs the gas simultaneously. Coca
nut shells formed the best supply of
carbon that could be found and the
known world was raked by American
representatives to secure what was
needed. In addition enormous quanti-
ties of fruit pits and other nut shells
were secured and the national CAM
paign to increase the supply Of these
ingredients met with great success.
The slogan "eat more cocoanut," the
report states, increased the consumpt-
ion in the country more than 100 per-
cent in very brief period and in Oc-
tober, 1918 the government was OBJ.
tanning from all sources about 15O
tons per day of cocoanut shells. The
fruit canneries of the Pacific Coast
supplied 100 tons day in apricot
peach and cherry pits and walnut
shells and the campaign led by the
American Red Cross to induce the
public to contribute fruit pits and nut
shells was in full swing when the
! armistice was signed. uItsis estimated
that 1000 tons Of material was coil
lected by this means.
\ Among the masks designed and Pro
lduced were az, 1871 horee masks Nh1el
were easier Of mans c NJ 81
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