Timeline of face masks

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This is a timeline of face masks.

Sample questions

[File:Cloth mask, mask pads and medical face masks - small.jpg]

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Time period Development summary More details
6th century BC "The earliest recorded face mask-like objects in history date to the 6th century BC"[1]
14th century "In the 14th century, the Black Death spread to Europe. This also greatly promoted the emergence of functional face mask-like objects."[1]
16th century " In the 16th century, French doctor Charles de Lorme invented the beak mask."[1]
17th century "While the plague doctors of the 17th century certainly had a scary getup, de Lorme’s miasma-inspired leather overcoat and bird mask didn’t prevent anyone from contracting the plague. "[2] [3] "As far back as the 17th century, the famous "beaked mask", filled with plants known for their disinfecting properties, had already been dreamt up by Charles de Lorme to protect plague doctors from airborne contagion"[3]
19th century "The design of the mask took a big step forward in the 19th century. "[1] "Throughout the 19th century, doctors continued to go without masks while workers in factories were encouraged to use them to help filter particle-ridden air."[2] "The practice of using face masks to prevent infection in hospitals started in the late 19th century."[4] "in the 1800s there was an understanding of the usefulness of face masks in factories."[2] "The modern surgical face mask came into use in the late nineteenth century, around the time that germs and viruses were reshaping medical understandings of disease."[5] " it was in the latter half of the 19th century – when medical research was benefiting considerably from Louis Pasteur’s work – that face masks began to be worn in hospital settings."[3] "According to “History of Surgical Face Masks: The myths, the masks, and the men and women behind them,” by John L. Spooner, face masks first appeared at the very end of 19th century, used as a protective measure worn by doctors during surgery to prevent airborne bacteria from entering an open wound."[6]
1868–1912 "The modern history of masks begins in the Meiji Era (1868-1912)"[7]
1870s "By the late 1870s, scientists learned about bacteria. Miasma fell from fashion as the modern field of microbiology emerged."[8]
1880s "Before Robert Koch’s identification in the 1880s of the bacteria that caused tuberculosis and cholera, dirt was simply dirt. People knew nothing of threatening microbes or viruses."[5]
20th century "Throughout the early decades of the 20th century, patents were issued various styles of masks. Most commonly, masks were made of cotton gauze and held in place with a metal frame."[2]
1912–1926 "The mask business flourished during the Taisho Era (1912-26) as the economy boomed with factories filling orders from Europe in the throes of World War I. Numerous products made from leather, velvet and other materials advertised under various brands inundated the market."[7]
1920s "The surgical mask was used first in the operating rooms of Germany and the USA in the 1920s."[9] "By the late 1920’s, the use of gauze face masks was widespread."[10] "In the 1920s, masks are standard in operating rooms. Over the next century, medical researchers continue to experiment with designs and materials."[4]
1930s "n the middle of the 1930s, the research on the role of facemasks was continued in Germany and the USA"[9] "In the 1930s variations of the gauze tlpe masks began to appear."[10]
1940s " Only in the 1940s, washable and sterilizable masks gained acceptance in German and international surgery with only the number of gauze layers varying (2–3, 3–4)"[9] "With the introduction of antibiotics in the 194O’s, and their rapid acceptance as a means of controlling infection, interest in surgical masks decreased."[10]
1950s "In the late 50s there was renewed interest in surgical masks that would effectively protect the patient’s open wound from the discharge of pathogens from the mouth and nose of operating room personnel."[10]
1960s "Beginning in the mid-1960s, the use of disposable items made of paper and fleece was introduced all over the world after this was started in the USA."[9] "Moderns disposable masks grew in popularity in the 1960s"[2]
1980s "In the 1980s, when the hay fever mask became common in Japanese society, flu masks gradually reappeared."[11]
1990s "N95 respirators were used in industrial applications for decades before the need for a respirator circled back to clinical settings in the 1990s with the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis."[8]
2020s "Experts continue to debate the effectiveness of face masks in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do policies, laws, and practical considerations (such as the national supply of masks and how to prioritize them) vary from region to region, people’s attitudes toward face masks may also reflect their cultural values and history."[12]

Full timeline

Year Target Event type Details Location
9000 BP "The earliest well-documented masks come from the arid Judean Desert in the Middle East about 9,000 years ago. The chance that these are the first masks ever made is nil; these are simply the earliest preserved masks that we currently know of."[13]
1720 ". There are even paintings from Marseilles in 1720, which was the epicenter of the bubonic plague, that show gravediggers and people handling bodies with cloth around their faces, even though the plague was spread by the bites of fleas that traveled on rats."[8]
1827 "In 1827, Scottish scientist Robert Brown discovered "Brownian motion," which theoretically proved the protective effect of masks on dust."[1] Middle East
1848 "In 1848, the mask made by American Lewis Hassley for miners obtained the first patent for a protective mask, which was a milestone in the history of face masks."[1]
1849 "In 1848, the mask made by American Lewis Hassley for miners obtained the first patent for a protective mask, which was a milestone in the history of face masks. Masks at this stage were closer to gas masks. Hassley applied for the patent in 1849 with the patent number 6529, which is still available in the archives in the US."[1]
1861 "In 1861, French biologist, microbiologist and chemist Louis Pasteur proved the presence of bacteria in the air, which made more people pay attention to the design of modern masks."[1]
1879 "In 1879, one of the first domestically produced masks was advertised in newspapers."[7] Japan
1895 "In 1895, the same Dr Henrot (as mentioned in an article of Gil blas, 27 September 1895, p.2), suggested equipping the privates in Madagascar with face masks to protect them from noxious fumes. Although this idea has since gained ground, not least during World War I, back then it was considered comical if not downright ridiculous"[3]
1897 "Johann Von Mikulicz Radecki describes a surgical mask composed on one layer of gauze."[14] "The practice of using face masks was introduced by the Polish surgeon Jan Mikulicz-Radecki in 1897."[4]
Jan Mikulicz-Radecki
1897 "In 1897, the hygienist Carl Friedrich Flügge (1847–1923) working in Breslau at this time published his works on the development of droplet infections [6–8] as part of his research on the genesis of tuberculosis [7]."[9] "Mikulicz and Flugge, two German scientists, suggested the idea of a facemask in 1897 after they demonstrated the presence of bacterial droplets from the nose and mouth"[15] Poland
Carl Flügge
1897 "In the same year, 1897, a cooperation work between Flügge and Theodor Billroth’s (1829–1894) disciple Johannes von Mikulicz (1850–1905), who also worked in Breslau since 1890, was published. Their publication dealt with performing operations wearing a ‘mouth bandage’. In here, Mikulicz described a one-layered mask made of gauze"[9]
1897 "Doctors started wearing the first surgical masks in 1897."[8]
1898 "Huebner recommends that masks made of two layers of gauze, worn at a distance from the nose, be used during operations."[14]
1899 ", a French doctor created a mask made of six layers of gauze and sewed it on the collar of a surgical gown in 1899. The doctor only needed to flip the collar up when using it. It gradually evolved into a form that could be freely tied and hung on the ears with a looped strap, thus giving birth to the modern mask."[1]
1905 "Hamilton proposes that scarlet fever is transmitted through droplet infection. She recommends that masks be worn by nurses handling sterile dressings and by doctors during surgery because of the danger of droplet infection from the mouth and nose."[14] "In 1905, Chicago physician Alice Hamilton publishes an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reporting on experiments measuring the amount of streptococci bacteria expelled when scarlet fever patients cough or cry. She also measures the strep bacteria from healthy doctors and nurses when they talk or cough, leading her to recommend masks during surgery."[4] " Hamilton,10 in 1905, found heavy droplet contamination from surgeons’ mouths and noses during talking"[15] United States
1906 "Lord Moynihan advocates use of masks during operations."[14]
1910 "Until 1910, the application of face covers was not common in surgery and the general hospitals."[9]
1910 "In 1910, an epidemic of pneumonic plague strikes Manchuria. Appointed by the Chinese court to head anti-plague efforts, the Penang-born, Cambridge-educated physician Wu Lien-Teh (Wu Liande) argues that the disease is transmitted through airborne contact. To prevent its spread, he develops masks to be worn by medical personnel and the general public."[4] "The practice of wearing face-masks to prevent disease can be dated back to the 1910-11 Manchurian epidemic in China. It was Wu Lien-teh, a Cambridge educated Chinese doctor who described the mask as a ​‘prophylactic apparatus’ that could be worn by all to protect themselves from the plague. "[16] ". China has had an ethic of wearing masks during public-health emergencies since the outbreak of the pneumonic plague in 1910"[17] China
1913 "A Cambridge University study published in 2013 compared homemade masks made out of a variety of household materials with surgical masks on their efficacy in offering protection during an influenza pandemic. All the masks studied in the report reduced the number of microorganisms expelled into the air by volunteers, at least to an extent. Masks from dish/​cleaning towels or cotton blend t‑shirts turned out to be considerably effective in capturing small particles (stopping 83% and 74% of the particles, respectively)."[16]
1915 "Meltzer advises that masks of fine mesh gauze be used to cover the faces of patients with infantile paralysis and the faces of personnel attending them."[14]
1915 "On 13 May 1915, an article in LeTemps described this innovative “small device”, attributing its invention to Dr Henrot in 1868:

“A respiratory mask. — It was designed in 1868 by Dr Henrot to ward off the danger of contagion from certain infectious diseases via the airways – diphtheria, for example. It is comprised of a framework sealing in the nose and mouth, which is closed on the outside by two metal cloths between which cotton discs are placed. All the infectious germs remain attached to these discs and the air is thus rigorously filtered. A small, very simple and highly sensitive valve lets out the inhaled air. The whole of this small device is made of aluminium, so it is very light, and is easy to wear like spectacles.” (Le Temps, 13 May 1915, p. 4)"[3] ||

1917 "the first commercial dust respirator was invented in 1917 (Saito 2011: 16)"[11]
1918 Weaver reports that over a two-year period the incidence of diphtheria contracted by attendants of infected patients was reduced to zero after wearing masks of double thickness gauze.[14] "In 1918, Weaver11 reported a decreased incidence of diphtheria contracted by healthcare providers from infected patients when masks were worn. "[15]
1918 ""The recent conclusion, adopted by the Academy of Medicine at Dr Bezançon’s proposal, recommending that masks be worn to avoid the spread of flu among health staff, is not new. The face mask first emerged many years ago […] Would it be too complicated to wear over the mouth and nose a few layers of gauze-like fabric held by a wire framework, just like we wear spectacles – or even more simply, to wear a thick hat veil?” (Le Petit Parisien, 27 October 1918)"[3]
1918 "During the 1918 influenza epidemic, people again wore face masks, but while the practice endured in China due to continued outbreaks, it was largely forgotten in the United States and other countries. "[18]
1920 "While some suggest that “by 1920, the use of masks became routine practice in the OR"[15]
1926 "It was not until 1926 that the first clinical study demonstrated a potential link between wearing masks and reduced surgical site infection"[15]
1927 "One year later, Martin Kirschner (1879–1942), who held the chair for surgery in Heidelberg, elaborately described the necessity of wearing a facemask in his multi-volume operational theory in the chapter ‘measures to combat infections’"[9]
1929 ""At the Academy of Medicine’s session yesterday, the knowledgeable Professor Marchoux made an announcement of the greatest interest and relevance today; he recommends, particularly for doctors and hospital staff, wearing a light structure, hat veil or mask, in addition to spectacles, on the face, so as to protect against the projection of septic droplets when flu patients under treatment sneeze, cough or speak.” (Le Journal, 13 February 1929)"[3]
1930 "Additional data confirming the value of face masks in preventing infection of surgical wounds were published by Walker in 1930. by Meleney in 1935. and by Hart and Davis” in 1937"[10]
1930 "Additional data confirming the value of face masks in preventing infection of surgical wounds were published by Walker in 1930. by Meleney in 1935. and by Hart and Davis” in 1937"[10]
1934 ". The influenza epidemic in 1934 triggered a different relationship with masks for the Japanese, that of social courtesy. Infected people were conscientious about not passing on germs to others, and masks were no longer only worn by healthy individuals trying to avoid illness."[16]
1935 "In the following edition of the book ‘assistance for operating staff’ published in 1935, facemasks were then mentioned"[9]
1930 "Additional data confirming the value of face masks in preventing infection of surgical wounds were published by Walker in 1930. by Meleney in 1935. and by Hart and Davis” in 1937"[10]
1948–1950 "In Japan, the use of face masks declined after the Spanish flu, but they did not entirely disappear, and they quickly became common again during several major flu outbreaks in 1948–1950 and in 1966–1968. "[19]
1958 "In 1958 Kiser and Hitchcock reported on a mask that combined the deflection and filtration princip1es.l’ This was a plastic mask that diverted the flow of breath backward on either side. Filter material near the side outlets was designed to trap the deflected organisms."[10]
1958 ". In 1958 Andersen2” developed a sampling chamber to collect airborne particles in several categories of decreasing particle size."[10]
1959 "Adam@ evaluated a fitted filter mask and found it more efficient than gauze masks."[10]
1960 "In 1960 Rockwood and O’Donoghuelg judged that the length of time a filter mask retains its efficiency was three hours; confirmed the inefficiency of absorbing gauze masks; and stressed the fact that the proper use of the best mask available could prevent infection."[10]
1961 "In 1961 MusselmanZ0 reported on a new fitted mask designed to be used only once and then discarded. The mask incorporated a filter in a plastic shell that was shaped to fit the face. An elastic band secured it in place. Excellent bacterial filtration was reported."[10]
1961 " A “bubble” surgical mask that 3M released in 1961, that yes, takes its inspiration from the cup of a bra. When 3M learned it couldn’t block pathogens, the mask was re-branded as a “dust” mask."[8]
1966–1968 "In Japan, the use of face masks declined after the Spanish flu, but they did not entirely disappear, and they quickly became common again during several major flu outbreaks in 1948–1950 and in 1966–1968. "[19]
1967 "The 3M mask is short for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co, the company which has produced these masks since 1967"[1]
1972 " and in 1972, the N95 respirator mask was invented, becoming a healthcare standard in epidemics in 1995"[2]
2002 "Then came the SARS epidemic, beginning in 2002, and a mask resurgence, in China, Hong Kong and across most of East Asia and Southeast Asia, as well as in the public mind, as a sign of “heath awareness and civic duty.” It is sheer politeness to wear a mask to avoid sneezing on your neighbor."[6]
2003 "n addition to the SARS epidemic in 2003, the last large-scale use of masks in China was due to smog in 2012. That year, the term "PM2.5" began to enter public awareness, and mask models such as N95 and KN90, which can filter out this fine particulate matter, became highly popular."[1] "In East Asian countries besides Japan and China, the public practice was first forged in 2003 as SARS, another lethal coronavirus, spread from China, pummeled the health systems of neighboring countries, and left a terrifying, indelible impression of the damage that viral respiratory diseases can inflict."[17]
2003 A comparative study by Seto et al. on a sample size of 111 individuals in Hong Kong finds that healthcare workers who wore paper masks had lower risks of SARS infection.[20] China
2004 A comparative study by Yin et al. on a sample size of 268 individuals Guangdong Province finds that healthcare workers who wore both layer gauze and paper masks had lower risks of SARS infection.[20] China
2009 A comparative study by Liu et al. on a sample size of 447 individuals in Beijing finds that healthcare workers who wore cotton masks had significantly lower risks of SARS infection.[20] China
2009–2011 ". H1N1 in 2009 and the Fukushima nuclear disaster saw further upsurges of prophylactic mask-wearing, regardless of government advice. Eventually the surgical mask simply became common winter wear."[5] Japan
2011 "A survey of mask use conducted in Tokyo in 2011 showed that face masks were worn as protection against infection or to avoid spreading infections to others, but also as a general form of protection and as a sign of respect and responsibility."[19] Japan
2012 "n addition to the SARS epidemic in 2003, the last large-scale use of masks in China was due to smog in 2012. That year, the term "PM2.5" began to enter public awareness, and mask models such as N95 and KN90, which can filter out this fine particulate matter, became highly popular."[1]
2012 A comparative study by Zhang et al. on a sample size of 56 individuals in Beijing finds that cloth mask use did not significantly decrease the risk of H1N1 infection in health care setting.[20] China
2012 " In 2012, my colleagues Allison Aiello and Arnold Monto (at the University of North Carolina and the University of Michigan, respectively) conducted a mask study with college students during a regular influenza season. They found that, to be effective, masks must be worn consistently and early — as soon as flu season begins. The study also showed that masks work best in combination with other measures, particularly frequent hand-washing."[21] United States
2015 "In a 2015 study, a team of Indian scientists studied the dispersion of particles expelled during coughing/​sneezing using aerodynamic simulation techniques. The study was led by Guruswamy Kumaraswamy, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay; Prem Andrade, Ansys Software; and Pankaj Doshi, Pfizer Inc. The researchers observed that larger droplets emitted from coughing/​sneezing can be blocked by a mask. A mask reduced the distance travelled by smaller droplets from nearly 2 metres to less than 30 cm. At the same time, maintaining a physical distance of at least 2 metres is greatly beneficial as even the particles that escaped the mask in the study could carry the virus no farther than 1.5 metres."[16]
2018
Surgical masks being decontaminated for reuse under ultraviolet light.jpg
"The medical anthropologist Christos Lynteris’s article “Plague Masks” (2018) prompts us to think about surgical masks as masks, bodily prostheses that transform the identity of the wearer. The gauze mask had both practical and performative significance. Practically, it created a barrier (however imperfect) against the inhalation of invisible airborne pathogens. At the same time, it performed symbolically the idea of a regime against airborne pathogens."[5]
2018 " A 2018 study by Jin Yan and colleagues from the US Food and Drug Administration constructed a model based on assumptions from laboratory data. They concluded that if only 20 percent of people use masks, it wouldn’t make a difference for the spread of influenza. At 50 percent compliance, though, with the use of high-filtration surgical masks, the effect might be substantial."[22]
2019–2020 "More recently, during the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, face masks (and especially black face masks) were worn as both a political statement and as a tool for disguising identity from closed-circuit TV cameras. They became so popular that the government went so far as to try to ban them, immediately elevating them to a symbol of revolt."[6] Hong Kong
Watson queue for face masks 20200130 DSCF2199 (49464278376).jpg
2020 (April 15) Coronavirus disease 2019 Scientists claim having developed a biodegradable material for face masks which is effective at removing particles smaller than 100 nanometres including viruses and has a high breathability.[23][24] Australia
2020 (April 22) ""In order to limit the risk of directly transmitting the virus via droplets projected when speaking, coughing or sneezing, wearing an anti-projection mask covering the nose and mouth, designed to retain these sputters and stop them dispersing in the immediate environment, has been recommended in a recent paper of the National Academy of Medicine […] To be effective, the wearing of anti-projection masks should be widespread in the public space.”"[3]
2020 (April 27) Face masks become mandatory for shopping and in public transportation in Germany.[9] Germany

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See also

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "The evolution of face masks". globaltimes.cn. Retrieved 10 September 2020. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "A Brief History of Medical Face Masks". gizmodo.com. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 [As far back as the 17th century, the famous "beaked mask", filled with plants known for their disinfecting properties, had already been dreamt up by Charles de Lorme to protect plague doctors from airborne contagion. "Go out wearing masks! A media history of face masks"] Check |url= value (help). newseye.eu. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Pandemics Come and Go But Medical Masks Are Eternal". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "We share what we exhale". the-tls.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "The Mask". nytimes.comwwww. Retrieved 12 September 2020. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 "The history behind Japan's love of face masks". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 10 September 2020. 
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 "The untold origin story of the N95 mask". fastcompany.com. Retrieved 12 September 2020. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8 9.9 Matuschek, Christiane; Moll, Friedrich; Fangerau, Heiner; Fischer, Johannes C.; Zänker, Kurt; van Griensven, Martijn; Schneider, Marion; Kindgen-Milles, Detlef; Knoefel, Wolfram Trudo; Lichtenberg, Artur; Tamaskovics, Bálint; Djiepmo-Njanang, Freddy Joel; Budach, Wilfried; Corradini, Stefanie; Häussinger, Dieter; Feldt, Torsten; Jensen, Björn; Pelka, Rainer; Orth, Klaus; Peiper, Matthias; Grebe, Olaf; Maas, Kitti; Bölke, Edwin; Haussmann, Jan. "The history and value of face masks". PMID 32576263 Check |pmid= value (help). doi:10.1186/s40001-020-00423-4. 
  10. 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 Spooner, John L. "History of Surgical Face Masks: The myths, the masks, and the men and women behind them". doi:10.1016/S0001-2092(08)71359-0. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 Horii, Mitsutoshi. "Why Do the Japanese Wear Masks?". japanesestudies.org.uk. Retrieved 13 September 2020. 
  12. "Faced With Face Masks: A Brief Discussion of Current Challenges". naspa.org. Retrieved 13 September 2020. 
  13. "The Masked Man". sapiens.org. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 Spooner, John L. [Johann Von Mikulicz Radecki describes a surgical mask composed on one layer of gauze. "History of Surgical Face Masks"] Check |url= value (help). doi:10.1016/S0001-2092(08)71359-0. 
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Adams, Lu Wang; Aschenbrenner, Carol A.; Houle, Timothy T.; Roy, Raymond C. "Uncovering the History of Operating Room Attire through Photographs". doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000000932. 
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "The history and science of mask-wearing". indiabioscience.org. Retrieved 12 September 2020. 
  17. 17.0 17.1 "Face Masks Are In". theatlantic.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020. 
  18. "99% Invisible Podcast: History of Face Masks and the Power of PPE in Pandemics". autodesk.com. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Face masks: Why do different countries in the world have such different recommendations?". sciencenorway.no. Retrieved 11 September 2020. 
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Face masks and coverings for the general public: Behavioural knowledge, effectiveness of cloth coverings and public messaging" (PDF). royalsociety.org. Retrieved 12 September 2020. 
  21. "Coronavirus mask guidance remains unclear. Here's how history can help". nbcnews.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020. 
  22. "The Face Mask Debate Reveals a Scientific Double Standard". wired.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020. 
  23. Layt, Stuart (14 April 2020). "Queensland researchers hit sweet spot with new mask material". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 22 August 2020. 
  24. Technology (QUT), Queensland University of. "New mask material can remove virus-size nanoparticles". QUT. Retrieved 22 August 2020.