BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks and accessories also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German Army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have them readily available at all times. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, (High Command of the Armed Forces), fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Along with the gasmasks the new accessories included specialized eye glasses, protective anti-gas capes and assorted skin and weapons decontamination tablets were also developed. One of the decontamination tablets introduced was the mustard gas decontamination tablets.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 3 1/8" tall, 1 1/8" diameter, molded tan bakelite construction container with a removable, friction fit, top cap. The cylindrical container has repeating, raised, vertical ribs to the body and removable top cap for ease of handling. The bottom of the container is well marked with embossed script, "Losantin (Tabl.) Gelbkreuzentgiftungsmittel", (Losantin {Tablets} Mustard Gas Decontamination Medicine). The removable top cap is also well marked with the the embossed, stylized manufacturers logo consisting of a downward pointing blitz arrow flanked by the initials, "H", and "K" indicating an unknown manufacturer, within a circular recess and the embossed date, "1940", also within a circular recess. The container is in overall very good condition with some tape remnants near the top cap and it still contains a few pills. Scarce mustard gas decontamination tablet container.

GRADE ****                             PRICE $59.00