Protective clothing is worn to protect either the wearer's body or other items of clothing. Conversely, special clothes may protect the working environment from pollution and/or infection from the worker, for example in a microchip[?] factory. The protection may also be important both ways, as with the use latex gloves[?] by surgeons and dentists[?].
Examples:
apron protects the body and other clothing (also used as distinction by waiters[?])
... 1812, 1816
Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register (http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/scores.html#1804)
(Larger version)
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