![]() The wearer could squeeze the bag of water to re-saturate the sponges to filter out some of the smoke. The Nealy Smoke Mask used a series of water-saturated sponges and a bag of water attached to a neck strap. In 1877, the English invented and patented the Nealy Smoke Mask. In the mid-1800s, German scientists conducted studies with industrial dust and bacteria and their relationship with respiratory health. Understanding the behavior of small particles, the properties of filter media and their interactions led to the first particulate respirator. In 1827, the Scottish botanist Robert Brown discovered the phenomenon known as the Brownian movement – the theory that collisions of rapidly moving gas molecules causes the random bouncing motion of extremely small particles. The 18 th and 19 th centuries achieved the development of what we would recognize today as respirators, far surpassing the use of animal bladders and wet cloths. Nealy Smoke Mask from The National Fireman's Journal December 8, 1877 While these scientific discoveries and advancements to respiratory protection were pivotal, the most important date for respiratory protection was still to come. In the 1700s, Bernadino Ramazzini, known as the father of occupational medicine, described the inadequacy of respiratory protection against the hazards of arsenic, gypsum, lime, tobacco, and silica (Spelce et al., “History,” 2018 Cohen and Birkner, 2012). Although science has made advancements over time, the need for proper respiratory protection became increasingly apparent. While ancient divers used hoses and tubes for supplied air, seventeenth century scientists added bellows to these devices as a way of providing positive pressure breathing. Many centuries later, Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) recommended the use of wet cloths over the mouth and nose as a form of protection against inhaling harmful agents (Spelce et al., “History,” 2018 Cohen and Birkner, 2012).įurther scientific inquiry and discovery led to the use of early atmosphere-supplying respirators. The history of respiratory protection traces back as far as Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD), a Roman philosopher and naturalist, who made use of loose animal bladder skins to filter dust from being inhaled while crushing cinnabar, which is a toxic, mercuric sulfide mineral used at the time for pigmentation in decorations. ![]() The M5 was later deemed obsolete and removed from service in 1947, but still used as a special purpose mask during the Korean War.Pliny the Elder, photo courtesy of ShutterstockĪround the world, scientific minds recognized the need for respiratory protection long before the U.S. The M5, as well as all the other gas masks made of neoprene had one distinctive problem - the facepiece hardens during colder weather, a condition known as "cold set".Īn attempt to replace this mask was made with the M8 Snout-Type Gas Mask, which was made from an M3, M3A1, M4, or M4A1 Lightweight Service Mask facepice (made of Class "B" Grey Rubber) that had the hose removed and an angle pipe fitted with a 60mm threaded inlet valve fitted in place of it. The mask was issued with an M7 Carrier Bag, which was made of duck canvas, heavily rubberized with black neoprene, which notibly doubled as a floatation device in the waters off of Normandy, as well as an M11 type filter (which was also issued with the M8 Snout and the M9 masks). ![]() The mask did not feature an oronasal cup unlike the M3-10A1-6 Mask it's made with. Another variant was made of an M2A2 or M2A3 Heavyweight Service Mask in the same way. The mask is made of a neroprene rubber M3-10A1-6 Lightweight Service Mask that had the hose chopped off, the hole plugged up, and had the side of the facepiece butchered to fit a 60mm threaded inlet valve for the filter. The M5 was based on the British Lightweight Service Respirator, featuring an filter input on the side of the mask. It is one of the most sought after mask by collectors due to its usage in the Normandy Landings in 1944. The M5-11-7 Assault Gas Mask was made in 1943, around the same time as the M3 by Mine Safety Appliances, intended to be a lightweight gas mask for use by paratroopers and assault troops because the older M1, M2, M3, and M4 Service Masks used combersome hoses that could impede a soldier's movement. ![]()
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