Chemical Warfare: The Effects of Mustard Gas

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How Blister Agents Changed Our Equipment
We, as CBRN soldiers, can trace our corps roots back to World War I, where chemical agents were widely used by both the allied and German forces. One chemical used was called mustard gas (H). Mustard gas is a type of blister agent that causes large blister (vesicles) on the skin, lungs and eyes of those exposed to it. According to Heller (1984), when mustard gas was introduced on the battlefield soldiers were unaware that they were even exposed. Unlike other chemicals used at that time (Chlorine or Phosgene) the effects of mustard gas were not readily apparent. According to Namazi, Niknahad, & Razmkhah (2009), those exposed did not feel the effects for 4-8 hours after exposure causing severe injuries. According to Heller (1984), the Germans were the first to use mustard gas in 1917 on British soldiers. When the British soldiers observed the gas shells going off they did not see or smell any gas; therefore, believed that the Germans were trying to trick them. It was not until several hours later did they start complaining that their eyes, throats and lungs hurt. By the time that the United States entered World War I we did not have any protection against the chemicals that were being used on the front lines. According to Heller (1984), “On 6 April 1917, when the U.S. declared war on Germany, the army not only lacked defensive equipment for chemical warfare, but also had no concrete plans to develop or manufacture gas masks or any other defensive equipment” ( pg.38). While the history of our corps is very interesting, I will show the effects mustard gas has on unprotected soldiers and how the first protective equipment has changed to what we are equipped with today.
First I will d...

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...a new branch was needed to combat these new threats on the battle field. Since 1918 the Army has done just that, we have adapted to the new technologies and techniques that today’s enemies are using.

Works Cited

Cochrane, R. C. (1960). 26th division east of the meuse, september 1918. Army Chemical
Center, MD: U.S. Army Chemical Corps Historical Office, Office of the Chief Chemical
Officer.
Heller, C. (1984). The Leavenworth Papers. Chemical Warfare in WW1: The American
Experience, 1917-1918, 10. Retrieved May 18, 2014 from http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/pdf/chemwarfare.pdf Namazi, S., Niknahad, H., & Razmkhah, H. (2009). Long-term complications of sulphur mustard poisoning in intoxicated Iranian veterans. Journal of Medical Toxicology, 5(4), 191+.
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