Name/Title
1915 British Army mica window smoke helmetEntry/Object ID
2019.17.52Description
1915 British Army mica window smoke helmet. Also known as the Hypo helmet, it is a chemically treated face hood with a mica eyepiece. It covered the head and was tucked into the neck. The Hypo helmet was made from a grey woolly flannel fabric.Context
Most Allied soldiers opposed the Hypo helmet. It was drenched in a chemical substance that burned soldiers' foreheads when they sweated and aggravated eyes. Most Allied servicemen could not communicate with the Hypo helmet, often leaving men isolated and vulnerable. It protected troops from chlorine gas. Many medical officials opposed this helmet since carbon dioxide often built up in it, sometimes killing the user or rendering the wearer unconscious.
