John Stenhouse, of Glasgow, Scotland, designed a mask (picture left) in 1850 that used wood charcoal as a filtering material. The facepiece was velvet lined for a tight fit and used an elastic head band. Stenhouse did not patent his mask but gave it to the public. Within a few years, chemical manufacturers in London were supplying their workmen with charcoal respirators.

The history of protective masks can be traced to the 16th century. This brief history, by the U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command in 1999 , covers some of the highlights of the long history of the protective mask. It contains wonderful drawings and photographs of both civilian and military respirators. The development of the U.S. Army protective mask dates back to World War I when chemical warfare was first introduced on a large scale.

The short publication - HISTORY OF THE ARMY’S PROTECTIVE MASK - is available for viewing and downloading at the library of the US Army Chemical Corps Museum: http://www.wood.army.mil/ccmuseum/ccmuseum/main.swf