Smithsonian has written about Haldane before, because he was the man who devised the idea of using canaries and other small animals in coal mines to detect odorless, deadly gases. He taught at several universities and developed medical remedies for common industrial ailments. But he wasn’t a practicing doctor: instead he was a medical researcher, writes the Science Museum in London. Haldane, born on this day in 1860 in Edinburgh, Scotland, got his medical degree in 1884. One of these scientists was John Scott Haldane, whose spectacular moustache (see above) would likely have prevented him from getting a good seal when wearing a gas mask. Unprepared for German forces to use chlorine gas as a weapon, many Allied soldiers suffocated, unprotected, during the Battle of Ypres in 1915.īut they gained protection thanks to the efforts of scientists who worked on the home front. The story has been updated to reflect Morgan’s contributions. In fact, Garrett Morgan, a Black inventor based in Ohio, filed a patent for a gas mask in 1914, a year before Haldane started researching his device. Pershing presented a gold medal from the Humane Education Society to Stubby, which was the subject of a famous photograph.Editor’s Note, May 11, 2022: This article previously suggested that John Haldane was the first person to invent a gas mask. He rubbed shoulders with a number of American Presidents. At the end of the war, Robert Conroy again smuggled Stubby home.Īfter returning home, Stubby became a celebrity and marched in, and normally led many parades across the country. He was later injured in the chest and leg by a grenade. He also helped free a French town from the Germans. However, whether Stubby was actually promoted or even an official member of the Army is still subject to debate.įollowing the retaking of Château-Thierry by the US, the women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals. Due to his capture of the enemy spy, the commander of the 102 Infantry nominated Stubby for the rank of sergeant. He was solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne. He learnt to warn his unit of mustard gas attacks, located wounded soldiers in no man’s land and - since he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans could - became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover. In his first year of battle Stubby was injured by mustard gas, after he recovered, he returned to the front wearing a specially designed gas mask to protect him. When he recovered from his wounds, Stubby returned to the trenches. He was sent to the rear for convalescence, and as he had done on the front was able to improve morale. In April 1918, during a raid to take Schieprey, Stubby was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades. He was under constant fire, day and night for over a month. He entered combat on Februat the Chemin des Dames, North of Soissons. Stubby served with the 181st Infantry Regiment in the trenches of the French battlefront for 18 months and participated in four offensives and 17 battles. This surprise welcome is in stark contrast with the treatment meted out to Horrie the Australian War Dog in similar circumstances. Upon discovery by Conroy's commanding officer, Stubby saluted him as he had been trained to in camp, and the commanding officer allowed the dog to stay on board. As they were getting off the ship in France, he hid Stubby under his overcoat without detection. When it came time for the outfit to ship out, Conroy hid Stubby on board the troop ship.
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