SOIDIERS' GAS LESSONS

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14407, 18 May 1917, Page 3

SOIDIERS' GAS LESSONS

Bergeunt pan Mason, in a letter to his mother in AYhanga-rei, under clato l^ehruary 3, writes interestingly of the Sling Camp training work, and gives au interesting de.scnj)tioii of ohe training oi' soldiers to protect themselves against German ga3. lie says: ''We tneii have a hairnet made of two tliick-ne-yscs of ilannplette, so made as to cover the bead and the vest.to be well pushed down under the ranic^ which is then hutLoned tightly at the neck. In the front are two glass eye-pieces, ami a mouth-piece, so made that one can breathe out of it, but cannot 'breathe in through it. 'ion might ask where do wo get air to breathe in. WelL, this flannelette is soaked in phenol, carbonate of soda, hesomme, and glycerine, it is called the 'P.H. helmet. Ttese chemicals work on the gases used by the Germans to such an extent that tho air, as it comes through the fiannolette, is purified and quite harmless. We have to go through proper; gas with these helmets on before we go to France. This is to see if we are competent, and to give xis some idea ."what it is like to bo m gas. The Germans use two deadly poison gases, and one that is not poisonous, but very annoying. The latter is called 'weeping gas' and affects the eyes, so that a iiian is nnable to see.ior the tears streaming out of his eyes. it has no after effects on a man. Their other gases are deadly poisonous. They are called chlorine and phosgine. Chlorine is Hgbier than air, and phosgine is heavier. They are nearly always nsed mixed together. Chlorine alfects the bronchial tubes of the throat and chokes a man-—very much like a man with bronchitis. It is agony, and men iiavo been known to tear their throats out. Phosgine is a gas that alfects the heart. A man may get gassed by this and to all. intents and purposes bequite light, but some twenty-four hours i-fter he may drop dead. So you see the advantage of men 'being trained in tho use of gas helments: —to 'be able to put them on quickly and securely lind what to do when the gas alarm is given."

The popular impression is tliat men in the First Division of the Expeditionary Force who have not yet been called up in the ballot, await the publication of each succeeding ballot Jjst with some fear and trembling.; (says the Christclmrch "Press"). That' was not the case in respect to one reservist, who. is reported to have been mildly pleased to find his name in tho list. To his employer's offer to appeal on his behalf, he raised strong •objections, alleging that he would far rather fall to the bullet of some! Hun sniper than undergo, the long- , drawn-out, lingering death that, over-, I v/ork at the office involved.