The Cordova daily times., 1920-11-02
WARNS MINERS
 AGAINST USING
 ARMY GAS MASK

"AoI1IIND oIN, ANoN. E' DooPito the repeated precautionary warnings to the industries as to the serious danger to workmen in using the army gas mask indiscriminately as an alleged protection against poison ous gases, the bureau of mines has just received word from Copperopo- lis, Cal, of the death of two min ing men who entered a mine on fire, one wearing an army gas mask, and the other wearing merely dust respirator The two men failed to return to the surface. Later a crew of trained rescuers under the lead ership of the bureau of mines, wear ing the proper self-contained oxygen apparatus, entered the mine and found the men dead.
 These fatalities once more illus trated the futility of the belief quite prevalent through the country that this army type of mask will protect the wearer under all conditions, against all gases whatsoever" said Dr. F. G. Gottrell, director of the the army gas mask as devised by the Americans was very excellent apparatus for the purposes intended to protect our soldiers from the diabolical gases of warfare. The American mask gave the soldiers such absolute protection that when they returned from France they were so enthusiastic over it's performance they were willing to endorse the gas bask for all purposes of protec- tion against poisonous gases. These men. it would seem, do not realize that out in the open air of the bat tie field, the percentage of gas in the air could never be nearly as large as may occur in the confined spaces of a factory operation or in in mine.
 The army mask furnishes no pro- lection whatever against carbon monoxide gas, which is the poison ous constituent of mine gases after fires and explosions in mines and of blast furnaces. For these purposes the self-contained oxygen breathing apparatus must be used, the wearer breathing entirely firm his apparatus and not depending upon the Altering of the outside air as with the gas mask.
 The army gas mask has wide field of usefulness in certain of the chemical industries, but it should under no circumstances be used in a mine It furnishes no oxygen to the wearer and can only remove from one to two percent of the poisonous gas from inhaled air. Higher percentages may gas the wearer.
 Tn q mine, either after an ex- plosiOn or a fire, when there is in concentration over one per cent of carbon monoxide, as is frequently found in mines, the army gas mask is of no avail. Moreover, in the confined spaces of a mine, there is nearly always in the vicinity of an explosion or mine fire, a deficiency of oxygen, and of course oxygen is not supplied by the army mask. It is supplied by the self-contained oxygen mine rescue breathing apparatus.
 "Therefore a mask is a real men, ace under the circumstances because it gives a misleading idea to the man who is using it that he is protected.
 "In order that more lives of work men may not be put in jeopardy from the improper use of army gas masks the bureau repeats this warn ing. If any of the industries feel that they have serious need for gas mask and they will communi- cate with the bureau of mines, stat ing the nature of the fumes and the other conditions they have to deal with, the bureau will be pleased to give them any helpful information it has on the subject. The bureau is pXceedinp1y anxious that this mis- und \5tanding which involves the safety and welfare of many workmen be cleared up.
 "As to the dust respirator, it's use in rescue work in mine is en- tirely inexcusable for it affords no protection whatever against poison ous gases or lack of oxygen in the air Its uSa for Such purposes is not