N95 Respirator Mask - The Great History of Respirator and Face Mask

N95 Respirator Mask - The Great History of Respirator and Face Mask  Face mask in general are used to cover our nose and mouth in order to prevent any airborne irritants like dust, small particles, and germs. However, with better enhancement and technology, the protective face masks, such as the N95 Respirator Mask, are becoming more common throughout the world. N95 - A mask that added protection from airborne viruses such as Air Particle, Pneumonic Plague, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and Air Filter. In the old day, there were similar devices in used for hundreds of years, scientists and inventors have developed and built on these earlier prototypes to create the modern group of protective face masks. On 16th century, facemask are formed simply by applying the finely woven cloth dipped in water as believed by Leonardo da Vinci that it could protect sailors from a toxic weapon made of powder. On 1799, Alexander von Humboldt introduced a primitive respirator in the mining industrial in Prussia. “In the old day, the facemask was designed with completely over the head, fastened around the throat with windows through which the wearer could see. A tank of compressed air or a reservoir of air under slight pressure was carried by the wearer to supply the necessary breathing air. In some devices certain means were provided for the adsorption of carbon dioxide in exhaled air and the re-breathing of the same air many times; in other cases valves were provided for exhalation of used air.” Resource from Wikipedia. But today’s N95 Respirator Mask are enhanced with partially cover the face and in lighter weight. In 1848, the first US patent for an air purifying respirator granted by Lewis P. Haslett to be used as dust filtered from the air and the filter was made of moistened wool or a similar porous substance. This was generally used as lung protector. While in 1879, Hutson Hurd patented a cup-shaped mask and became widespread in industrial use. Slowly, the scientists and inventors in several countries were also created a few type of facemask and respirators with widely different in function. Majority of the facemask and respirators in old time are mainly created for the used of industrial purpose. And there is no much invention on the surgical facemask due to less awareness on the medical field. When chemical weapons began to be used, the facemask was then invented into more powerful device such as ability of capture and hold large volumes of gas, able to remove toxic gases from the air, added a filter of cotton wool saturated with lime, glycerin, and invented a 'fireman's respirator,' a hood that filtered smoke and gas from air. Today industrial facemasks are tested and approved by the FDA and NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). With the hygienic awareness, facemask were also finding use in the medical field. This lead to doctors and nurses vigorously using the protective gear such as gloves and face masks.