auld: methods of gas warfare 57 



British. Another thing that weighs against changes in design 

 is the fact that the German, already handicapped by the lack 

 of certain materials, must manufacture 40,000,000 respirators a 

 year in order to supply his Austrian, Bulgarian, and Turkish 

 allies, as well as his own army. 



In the British and American armies the respirator must 

 always be carried with the equipment when within 12 miles of 

 the front. Between 12 and 5 miles a man may remove the 

 respirator box in order to sleep, but within 5 miles he must wear 

 it constantly. Within 2 miles it must be worn constantly in 

 the ''alert" position (slung and tied in front). When the alarm 

 is given he must get the respirator on within six seconds. The 

 American respirator is identical with the British. The French 

 have a fabric mask made in several layers, the inner provided 

 with a nickel salt to stop HON, then a layer with hexamethy- 

 lenetetramine ; it has no valve and is hot to wear. The French 

 also use a box respirator, consisting of a metal box slung on the 

 back, with a tube connecting to the face mask; the latter is of 

 good Para rubber and is provided with a valve. One disadvan- 

 tage of this form is the danger of tearing the single rubber sheet. 

 The German niask now contains no rubber except one washer; 

 the elastics consist of springs inside a fabric, and the mask itself 

 is of leather. It hardens and cracks after being wet, and is too 

 dependent upon being well fitted to the face when made. 



(The lecturer exhibited various types of gas shells, helmets, 

 masks, and respirators.) 



The following compounds have been used by the Germans in 

 gas clouds or in shells: 



1. Allyl-iso-thiocyanate (Allyl mustard oil), C3H5NCS (shell). 



2. Benzyl bromide, CeHsCHoBr (shell). 



3. Bromo-acetone, CH2Br.CO.CPI3 (hand grenades). 



4. Bromated methyl-ethyl-ketone (bromo-ketone), CH2Br- 

 COC0H5 or CH3.CO.CHBr. CH3 (shell). Dibromo-ketone, CH3- 

 COCHBr.CHoBr (shell). 



5. Bromine, Br2 (hand grenades). 



6. Chloro-acetone, CH2CI.COCH3 (hand grenades). 



7. Chlorine, CI2 (cloud). 



