Bruno Strasser and Thomas Schlich's book, The Mask: A History of Breathing Bad Air, traces the history of protective masks from the Great Plague to the present day. The richly illustrated volume highlights, through various case studies, the different medical, but also social and political functions that this object has served throughout the centuries.

In this 31st episode of Cliocast, Séveric Yersin discusses a number of compelling topics with Bruno Strasser, such as the decision to write for a general audience without compromising on scientific quality, the practice of experimental history, and why reusable masks disappeared in the 1960s.