What can we find from the pig's nose digging the ground? They invented the predecessor of the mask

Under the epidemic, masks have become a necessity for our daily going out.

The masks we use today are very light and thin, and their functions have been simplified, but if we trace back the history of the invention of masks, gas masks have a place.

1

Magical inspiration

The thick and heavy gas masks during World War I can be regarded as one of the ancestors of masks. When World War I broke out, in order to fight for Belgium with the British and French forces, the German army cruelly released a lot of chemical gas on the battlefield.

At that time, the German army set up nearly 6,000 chlorine cylinders. When these chlorine cylinders were opened, thick green smoke would emerge. Under the premise of ensuring the wind direction, the chlorine gas would drift towards the Allied forces' position with the wind. After breathing these "magical smokes", about 50,000 Allied soldiers died, and large tracts of wild animals around them were also "tragically killed."

This is because chlorine is a highly toxic gas with a pungent odor. It is highly chemically active and can react with a variety of chemicals and organic matter.

A small amount of chlorine can cause respiratory difficulties, chest tightness and respiratory syndrome. Chlorine entering the blood can cause nerve dysfunction, destroy blood cells, and cause irreversible damage to the human body.

Just when the Allied forces were at a loss as to how to deal with the German chemical weapons, someone discovered a magical phenomenon: in the areas where chlorine gas drifted, wild boars miraculously survived.

Through research, scientists have discovered that the wild boar's nose is 50 times more sensitive than that of a dog. When it encounters irritating gases, it will bury its nose in the soil, making the soil soft by digging the ground, thereby filtering and adsorbing the poisonous gas.

Based on this, Russian chemist Zelinsky invented the earliest gas mask suitable for battlefields in the shape of a pig's mouth. From then on, masks officially had the function of anti-gas.

Image source: Wikipedia

Before that, masks were invented only to meet the breathing needs of miners, firefighters and underwater divers.

2

Early firefighting and diving masks

Before the gas mask truly had "anti-gas" properties, the mask also went through several innovative iterations. Its predecessors were fire masks and diving masks.

In the late 17th century, Edmond Halley invented the world's first known diving helmet.

The small diving helmet worn by the diver is connected to a diving bell on one side, which contains oxygen to help the diver breathe underwater. On the other side of the diving bell is a tube that delivers fresh air. This is the first generation of diving helmets.

Image source: www.52toys.com

In the 1760s, with the development of the Industrial Revolution, miners working in dusty environments for a long time were detrimental to their health. Prussian mining engineer Alexander von Humboldt designed the world's "earliest dust mask".

Masks made of non-woven fabrics as the main material can help miners reduce the inhalation of harmful dust.

Image source: www.artdesign.org.cn

But when it comes to inventions that are truly protective, it was Lewis Haslett in 1849 who invented the first mask that could truly filter out dust from the air.

The mask was equipped with two valves and used a wool filter to keep out dust. With this invention, Lewis was awarded a patent for an "inhaler or lung protector," the first patent in U.S. history for an air-purifying respirator.

Image source: www.artdesign.org.cn

In 1914, another U.S. patent, a safety cover and smoke protector, was successfully applied for by Garrett Morgan.

Two years later, his gas masks helped rescue 32 men trapped in an underground tunnel explosion, and Morgan took the situation to national news coverage, which ultimately led to the successful sale of Morgan's invented safety masks to fire stations across the United States.

Image source: Wikipedia

Some historians believe that Morgan's invention was based on gas masks used by American troops during World War I.

Image source: Wikipedia

The perfect safety protection device enabled Morgan's exquisite model of the early gas mask to win the gold medal at the International Environmental Health and Safety Exposition.

At this point, Garrett Morgan is officially considered the inventor of the modern gas mask.

3

The principle of gas mask

Nowadays, gas masks used in special occasions can greatly improve the level of protection for the human body. Since modern gas masks are mainly divided into filtering type and isolation type, the protection principles of gas masks are different according to the different categories.

Filter-type gas masks mainly rely on the anti-gas charcoal in the original. The structure of anti-gas charcoal is looser than that of activated carbon, and it can absorb more poisonous gases. Some of them also have a layer of filter paper. The working principle is nothing more than the word "absorption", and it is mainly used at the rescue site.

Image source: Wikipedia

The isolation type gas mask is mainly used to completely isolate the body from the outside world and prevent the invasion of poisonous gas from all directions.

By providing oxygen to the body from within, it ensures that the body can still breathe freely in a closed space. Gas masks based on this working principle are more commonly used in oxygen-deficient high altitudes and underwater, or in sealed cabins.

4

Application scenarios of gas masks

Such an excellent gas mask has a wide range of application scenarios in daily life. Some jobs with potential safety hazards always require the protection of gas masks, especially in the following industries:

Automobile decoration painting field

Modern people like to give their cars some special color treatments after buying them, so car painting projects are becoming more and more popular. Since the paint contains many harmful substances and irritating gases, it is necessary to wear a gas mask to ensure safety.

Image source: www.dehsm.com

Farmers, fruit growers and other people engaged in agricultural production

When tending to crops, in order to prevent pests, relevant practitioners will spray pesticides on the crops. These pesticides contain highly harmful substances, which can cause harm to people's bodies whether they fall on them or are breathed into their lungs. Therefore, the protection of gas masks is also needed.

Image source: Wikipedia

Home decoration and other fields

During the decoration process, both coatings and paints contain a large amount of formaldehyde. Working in such an environment for a long time will cause great harm to the human body. In addition to opening windows for ventilation, daily protection is also essential. At this time, a gas mask is needed!

END

Review expert: Zhu Guangsi, member of Beijing Science Writers Association.

Tadpole Musical Notation original article, please indicate the source when reprinting

Editor/Xiao Xitushuo