High altitude hypoxia, a mask and a Street. Donation of an aviation BLB oxygen mask apparatus from World War 2

Abstract

The history of hypoxia prevention is closely inter-related with high altitude mountain and aviation physiology. One pioneering attempt to overcome low inspired oxygen partial pressures in aviation was the BLB mask—named after the three designers —Walter M Boothby, W Randolph Lovelace II and Arthur H Bulbulian. This mask and its variations originated just prior to World War 2 when aircraft were able to fly higher than 10,000 feet and pilot hypoxia affecting performance was an increasing problem. We give a brief description of the mask and its designers and discuss the donation of a model used by the British War Office in October 1940 and donated to the Harry Daly Museum at the Australian Society of Anaesthetists by the family of Dr Fred Street. Dr Street was a pioneering paediatric surgeon in Australia and served as a doctor in the Middle East and New Guinea in World War 2. He received the Military Cross.