U.S. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE RESPIRATORS By Christopher T. Carey
"In a field as highly esoteric and frequently as academically 'dry' as that of chemical and biological warfare, it is always both surprising and delightful to stumble across a book that manages to successfully span the yawning chasm that invariably separates pure academia and popular reference.
"In his book, author Carey has provided a wonderfully interesting book that will surely attract a broad range of interest from an equally wide range of readers. Ostensibly an illustrated reference on the historical development of American military NBC respirators (popularly known as 'gasmasks'), the book combines a wealth of excellent visual reference material with an interesting and frequently quite droll accompanying narrative. Having spent a number of years in the Middle East, working for the Saudi Arabian government on medically related programs both before and after the Gulf war of 1991, Carey is excellently positioned to speak on this subject with convincing authority.
"Anyone who has had even the most remote interest in protective measures developed for use against chemical or biological threats will immediately find this book both informative and stimulating. Regrettably, public interest in the deadly threat posed to modern civilisation by modern chemical and biological war agents is, as history shows us time and time again, extremely short lived. During the 'Gulf War I' of 1991, public interest in this subject was so great that whole families and private citizens were buying 'gasmasks' for their own protection against feared attacks with these deadly (NBC, or 'Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical') agents. As soon as that war had ended and Saddam Hussein had been shown to have not used his much feared NBC weapons, this same fevered-pitch public interest just as quickly dissipated. There is no doubt at all in mjy mind that in future, similar moments of unanticipated panic and fear over terrorist use of these weapons will again spark renewed interest in the subject of Carey's book.
"This is a book that is equally at home on the scientist's reference shelf or the
casual reader's coffee table. It will certainly provoke much interest and
speculation, upon even a casual read-through. In dealing with the subject matter
chosen for this work as he has, Carey has created a truly unique book that will
likely stand alone as the best possible reference of its kind to be found
anywhere in the world for many, many years. I recommend this large format and
bountifully illustrated book without reservation, as being well worth its price."