‘Fits U’ eye preservers, United States, 1914-1916
‘Fits U’ eye preservers protected the eyes of munitions workers. They are made of rustproof metal and can be adjusted to fit all face shapes. Wire meshing on the arms protected the wearer from flying objects. To meet the need for armaments, many factories during the First World War (1914-1918) were converted to make shells and ammunition. Many munitions workers were women because men were away fighting. They were often visible in a crowd because of their yellow hair and skin, caused by the sulphur used in the production process. They were nicknamed ‘canaries’. This example was made by American Optical Corporation.
Object number:
A681054
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: protective spectacles
Type spectacle with strenghened glass or other transparent medium to protect against flying particles, but not providing correction for defective vision.
Glossary: health and safety
No description.
Glossary: munitions
No description.