So I’m watching this L&O: CI rerun – Goren and Eames drop by the home of a suspect, knock on the door, no answer, and one of them sniffs and shouts, “Gas!” And they break in with handkerchiefs held over their mouths and noses, run in, suspect is dead on the floor . . . Eames turns off the stove . . .
What good is a handkerchief? How is that supposed to serve for a gas mask? Not the first time I’ve seen that, either.
Just a natural reaction. I’m sure **we’d all **do it if found in that situation.
If you’re dealing with aerosols (like smoke, dust and tear gas), it would make more sense. Against actual gas… I think it would be pretty worthless.
I’m gonna go with movie shorthand for “hey, the air is bad in here.” For those who didn’t catch the dialog.
For a handkerchief to be properly effective, you have to pee on it first.
(Or so says my WWI book-learnin’.)
The handkerchief keeps you from spreading germs around when you start coughing. No need to make a bad situation worse.
I’ll cast a second vote for movie shorthand.