PPE Germany GmbH – Operationsmaske
Why is 1897 considered a milestone for protective measures in healthcare, with mouth and nose masks in medicine?
The 19th century is considered the time when hygiene was discovered. For example, the famous doctor Johann von Mikulicz-Radecki used a mask during a medical operation in Breslau. This first mask was made from a layer of gauze bandages for protection when treating infectious diseases such as those infected with plague or diphtheria. Sterility (asepsis) was the main goal. “The forerunner of the mouth and nose protection masks, which have been further developed to this day, was born in medicine and as occupational safety for external and self-protection,” says Max Leber, Managing Director of PPE Germany GmbH in Berlin.
The discovery of active infection prevention
The history of masks in medicine is fascinating because the use of masks was active prevention of infection when the connections were recognized. At the same time as Johann von Mikulicz-Radecki, the physician Carl Georg Friedrich Wilhelm Flügge (1847-1923) was able to prove the theory of droplet infection and further developed scientific hygiene and disinfection processes. Doctors should remain silent in the operating room as much as possible. Managing director and mask expert Max Leber points out that in Europe and worldwide at the beginning of 1900 plague outbreaks (1910/1911 with 60,000 deaths, 1920/21 9300 deaths) or the Spanish flu (1919-1920 with millions of deaths) shook people and let them die . Traditions confirm that even then there was protection for the employees with masks made of cotton and gauze bandages.
In the 1990s, medicine discovered that masks used in occupational safety, such as dust masks (type FFP1-3), could also prove themselves in medicine. Comparative studies of particle-filtering masks (FFP) and surgical mouth and nose protection (MNS) confirmed the assumption that there is a predominantly higher protective effect.
World health of the population: hygiene and protective equipment
A long way, but today we know that consistent hygiene measures make a significant contribution to the global health of the population. “The development shows that protective equipment complements the standard of hygiene in order to reduce the transmission of diseases from health workers to patients and vice versa,” says Max Leber. But the potential effects of masks on patients must still be considered critically, Max Leber points out.
Especially with long-term use, masks can make the patient feel isolated and uncomfortable. Studies show that this can lead to stress and anxiety and interfere with the healing process. When healthcare workers wear masks, communicating with patients is more difficult, especially for patients with hearing or speech problems.
In addition, the use of masks can also lead to physical discomfort, such as skin irritation or difficulty breathing, primarily when patients already have respiratory problems. Precisely because the use of masks in the hospital setting continues to play an important role in infection prevention, the potential impact on the patient should be weighed against the benefits of mask wear. Max Leber sees the challenges facing mask manufacturers, who should face the challenges of the wearability of masks in order to design them optimally for the wearer from all health aspects. “From the history of mask development, we see the potential for further innovations for medical protective equipment,” says PPE Germany Managing Director Max Leber. Challenges exist for healthcare workers to feel safe and comfortable with their mask while maintaining clear communication and empathy with the patient without the interference of the mask.
World Hand Hygiene Day – why May 5th?
The World Health Organization introduced World Hand Hygiene Day in 2009. “However, many do not know that May 5th was not chosen by chance, because it stands for our five plus five fingers, i.e. 5.5.” would be particularly pleased about this development. In summary, it can be said that the topic of hygiene already achieved a standard in antiquity. In ancient times before Christ, the infrastructure already included bathhouses, sewage systems, public toilets and fresh water supply, which were recommended as preventive measures to achieve a healthy lifestyle, as well as gymnastics and diet. Today, hygiene is firmly anchored in everyday life and in all sectors. Cleanliness and hygiene for a healthy coexistence and life is based on three pillars: food and product hygiene, company hygiene and personal hygiene. Due to research, development and progress, many epidemics and diseases have been defeated since the expansion of hygiene standards, but the World Hand Hygiene Day should be a reminder of the achievements and at the same time the benefits should not be neglected.
V.i.S.d.P.:
Moritz Roland
OTA Education & Blogger
Moritz Roland, graduate of the English boarding school Rossall School in Fleetwood, Great Britain, with the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). Moritz is in vocational training OTA in healthcare. Moritz has been with ABOWI-Reputation.com since 2022. He is particularly interested in the change in the healthcare system – the focus is on human health – through technology, digitization and artificial intelligence for holistic health from A to Z. The blog akopjan-health.de offers numerous topics related to health and company health management. You can reach us at [email protected].
PPE Germany GmbH based in Berlin are specialists in respiratory protection made in Germany. PPE Germany is one of the major European mask producers for high-quality FFP2 masks and started production in 2020 to ensure that the population is supplied with protective equipment. PPE Germany protects the health of people who have to work and live in complicated air conditions, for example through viral contamination, hospital germ contamination, bacterial contamination, dust, fibers (e.g. from mineral wool), industrial exhaust gases, fine dust. All PPE Germany products are certified and are subject to the strictest test standards.
company contact
PPE Germany GmbH
Max Leber
Mertensstrasse 63-115
13587 Berlin
+49 30 202366380
Press contact
PPE Germany GmbH
Max Leber
Mertensstrasse 63-115
13587 Berlin
+49 30 202366380