NO ONE used gloves or respirators back then. And the solvents were better (worse from a health standpoint?). I'd wash parts with no gloves and my hands would look like gray parchment. Even the good carb dip solvent to some degree, but very much of that on you and you would soon be wanting to get it off, burned. Make a fist and the knuckles split and bleed. Hell, I was the guy in the parts washer, no gloves, scrubbing parts with a Kool in my mouth.

I suppose I'm lucky. Probably a few issues now related to that stuff, brake dust and some other crap, but nothing major (yet). Heck, I still use a little brakleen or acetone on towel to wipe crap off my hands when I don't want to stop and wash. And probably don't use gloves every time I should.

Don't be a tough guy or tight a$$. Use the PPE available to you.