BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks 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 it 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. Fear of the potential use of chemical warfare agents made the gasmask and canister a constant companion of the German soldier through-out the war. Along with the gasmasks, new specialized eye glasses, a protective gas cape and skin decontamination tablets, were also developed. Each soldiers was issued four skin decontamination tablet containers with ten tablets per container along with their gasmask and other accessories. The skin decontamination tablets required preparation in water before usage and as a result a new skin decontamination ointment, which didn’t require preparation was introduced to replace the tablets but the changeover was never fully achieved and the tablets continued to be produced and issued until 1943. Regulations of December 3RD 1942 stipulated that a colored adhesive tape was to be applied to the skin decontamination tablet containers to indicate year of production with red tape indicating production up to 1940, black tape for 1941, light green tape for 1942 and yellow tape for 1943.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Small, vertically rectangular, molded brown bakelite construction container for ten skin decontamination pills. The container is roughly, 75mm x 25mm and has a removable, friction fit, top lid. The container has its original tape and partial paper label (Label is now loose). The label, when complete would have read "Hautentgiftungsmittel Nur äußerlich anzuwenden! Nicht in Augen und Mund und auf die Geschlechtsteile bringen! Nach Gebrauch Losantinbehälter mit dem Klebestreifen wieder dicht verschließen., (Skin decontamination agent Only for external application! Do not get in eyes, mouth or on genitals! After application close the container securely with the adhesive tape.) Script to reverse label consists of, "Anwendung: Täfelchen in der hohlen Hand fein zerdrücken und mit etwa gleicher Menge Wasser oder Speichel einen Brei bereiten. Den Brei auf der vergifteten Stelle mehrfach leicht verreiben. Nach etwa 10 minuten Brei abspülen oder feucht abwischen., (Application: Finely crush tablet in the palm of your hand with equal amounts of water or spittle and mash to prepare. Then mash on the contaminated spots repeatedly and lightly rub away. After about 10 minutes rinse or wipe the mash off). Top and bottom of the container both have matching embossed manufacturers code and date, "jj 1944".