The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-11-21

the army gas mask for general use has
been much discussed. Theoretically it
would seem that the half hour oxygen
breathing apparatus, which keeps out
all gases and supplies oxygen, would be
much safer than the gas mask for fire.
fighting But practical experience shows
that firemen, as rule, do not favor
oxygen breathing apparatus. To them
it seems cumbersome and uncertain IN
action The combination of oxygen cyl
inder, breathing bag, regeneration CAMS
ter, valve and pressure gage appears
too complicated for the rough and
ready work of fire fighting Although
such apparatus has been on the market
for number Of years, it is seldom put
into practical use, even when on hand,
at fires. Firemen prefer to take their
chances unencumbered, or at most sim
ply to tie a wet handkerchief or towel
over the nose and mouth to keep out
some of the smoke.
Therefore the utility of the gas mask
must be considered from the practical
point of view rather than the theoreti-
cal. A review Of the many reports of
tests in experimental fires by city fire
departments shows: That firemen. are
favorably impressed with the simple
ity of the gas mask and will wear 1T;
that in the great majority of these
tests it protected the eyes and throat
from irritating smoke and was a great
improvement on sponge respirators and
wet cloths; that the mask did not en-
eumber the wearer or retard his effec
tiveness in fire fighting; that no spe-
cial training was required in learning
how to use the mask; that in compare
son Wit the oxygen breathing appa
ratus very little attention is required
to keep the gas masks in good condi
ton.
These experiments by fire depart
ments corroborate the experiments Of
the chemical warfare service and of
the bureau of mines in proving con-
clusively that the army gas mask,
when fitted with canister containing
cotton filter pads, activated charcoal,
and soda lime, effectively filters irri-
tating smoke particles, and, in addi-
tion, protects against most chemicai
fumes in the concentrations likely to
be met in fires
Certain Cautions.
However, in using the army mask
the following serious limitations must
be kept in mind; 1t furnishes no oxy
gen; hence it should not be worn int
a place where a safety lamp or fire
mans oil-burning lantern will moi
burn; il should not be used whey
there il reason 10 suspect carbon mon
oxide, as in smoldering fires in base
ments and other confined, unyentilated
spices, and especially in confined places
where broken illuminating gas pipes
add carbon monoxide TO the air; it Of
fers very poor protection against am
monia; finally, the army gas mask
may break down in unusually high
concentrations of poisonous gases. II
was originally designed for outdoor
use, where the poisonous gases are con
siderably diluted with air. Caution
must be used, therefore, in going into
rooms where the concentration of the
accumulated gas may be great enough
to pass through the mask.
Perhaps the most serious limitation
Of the army mask for fire fighting is
its inability to protect against ammo
MIA and carbon monoxide. Although
special ammonia canisters are now
available, commercially, and carbon
monoxide canisters soon will be avail
able. the fire fighter does not know in
advance what gas or combination OF
gases he may find. Many buildings con-
tain ammonia refrigerating plants, and
all cities outside the natural gas belt
are piped for artificial gas containing
carbon monoxide. The fireman, there
fore. must have, in a single mask, pro-
lection against all these gases. Enough
progress has been made by chemists
working under the direction of the bu
reau of mines and subsequently in the
chemical warfare service, in the devel-
opment Of an absorbent for carbon
monoxide to raise the hope that COM
bination canister for a fireman's mask,
which viii protect against smoke, am
monia, carbon monoxide and practical
ly all chemical fumes, will soon be
commercially available. When this is
accomplished, fireman can be pro
tected in any atmosphere where a safe
ty lamp win burn.
In order to promote the production
of an adequate combination gas mask
for fire fighters, the bureau of mines
win cooperate with city fire depart |
ments in obtaining more accurate in
formation as TO the actual gases pres
ent in connection with fires, and with !
manufacturers of gas masks in testing
and approving suitable gas masks when
submitted TO the bureau Fire depart
ments desiring TO cooperate in obtain
tng information on the presence Of car
bon monoxide in gases from fires
should communicate with the Pitts |
burgh. Pa, experiment station of the |
bureau-of mines
The ordinary army gas mask cannot |
protect the wearer from poisonous
gases in a burning mine. As q result |
of the experience of its engineers the |
bureau Of mines recommends the use |
OF self contained oxygen breathing APP /
mines. II such apparatus are not avail
able, it is preferable to enter the mine
without breathing apparatus rather
than to trust to other types of breath
ing appliances. The army gas mask |
would give the wearer in the mine |
false sense Of security by removing dis |
tasteful fumes from the air breathed /
and allowing the carbon monoxide TO /
pass through unnoticed. The smoke |
and gases from fires in mines serve TO |
warn the workers of the presence of /
gas.
Detailed information regarding the |
utility of various types of gas masks
and breathing apparatus in the pres
- Il