1 Answers
The small box respirator was the initial compact version of the recent gas mask. In late 1916, the respirator was introduced by the British with the purpose to provide reliable protection against chlorine and phosgene gas. The respirator offered a first line of defense against the gas. A later and more toxic gas, Mustard Gas, was created by Germans and was a vesicant that burnt the skin of individuals that were exposed to it. Death rates were high with exposure to both the mixed phosgene chlorine and mustard gas, however with soldiers having readily available access to the small box respirator, death rates had lowered significantly. Light and reasonably fitting, the respirator was a key piece of equipment to readily protect the respiratory health of soldiers on the battlefield.