Re: BW Controversy

[<GRBroman@aol.com>]

In a message dated Wed, 19 Dec 2001 10:27:26 PM Eastern Standard Time, <Jhk789@aol.com> writes:

> In a message dated 12/18/2001 10:49:19 PM Pacific Standard Time, Jwscpd8@aol.com writes:
> This was the same gas mask that I trained with in >basic in 1948. 
>Thanks John.
>Does anyone know whether these gas masks provide any >protections against bio weapons (e.g. anthrax spores)?
>John 2

That all depends, I would need to know the mask nomenclature, then I would know what filter it had.  Filters work in three ways, particulate filtration, which removes stuff like anthrax spores and other solids, depending on the filtration efficieny of the particulate media (spores are typically 1-5 microns in size for Anthrax).  For vapours, you have a carbon bed which removes agents by both adsorption and reaction.  So, the bottom line is that the mask may or may not have filtered out Anthrax, the only way to know would be to know the nomenclature of the mask.
Glen