Abstract
UNDER the title “Civilian Respirators1’ an article in the August issue of the Industrial Chemist discusses tho general requirements of apparatus for the protection of the civilian population in the event of hypothetical hostilities involving the use of lethal gases. It is well known that public opinion is divided on the question whether it is desirable to discuss these matters in the present temper of Europe. Some hold that peace is endangered by even humanitarian preparations in case of war; others consider that it would be folly to ignore the possibilities of a new form of warfare, and that common prudence dictates the examination of all measures necessary to combat it. In any event, if measures are to be taken, it is at least common sense to take the best available; and in this matter of the design of respirators suitable for civilian use, the article to which we refer suggests to potential inventors tho following general requirements: (1) A canister should be attached directly to a complcto facepiece. (2) The canister should provide a protection of 2 minutes against 1 per cent of phosgene, and 20–30 minutes against 0–1 per cent. The resistance should not exceed 3 in. of water. Protection of 10 minutes against 1 in 5 x 107 of diphenylchlorarsine or di-phenylaminechlorarsine should be provided. The canister should be readily replaceable and should last for at least five years. {3) The facepiece, of rubber or leather, should be gaslight, in not more than three sizes, and should incorporate eyepieces or a window. It should be simple in design, should interfere as little as possible with ordinary duties, should be siiitable for mass production from materials available in Great Britain, and should last for at least five years. (4) The cost should be as low as possible. Let us equally bear in mind that industrial respirators and their possibilities are already familiar in chomical factories, and that any new advances will bo of great interest in many peaceable occupations.
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Civilian Respirators. Nature 136, 252 (1935). https://doi.org/10.1038/136252a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/136252a0