Although I’m sure the last thing you would ever want to do is to diminish the importance of donning a gasmask for survival situations, or escape from a riot. The citizens of war torn Europe found it necessary to do just that when confronted with the need for as protection of loved ones, especially their small children.
Hence the invention of the British “Mickey Mouse” gasmask. This child sized mask was created small and colored brightly with an oversized nose flap to make the apparatus less threatening for children.
Obviously the precursor to the “Tickle Me Elmo” doll, this design implemented the nouvelle era of global domination by evil forces in a bright and nonthreatening package… at least that was it’s intention.
As a practicality, I believe that it missed it’s mark completely. I can’t imagine anything more frightening than a group of small children donning such a hideous mask, neither then or now…