The immediate organs affected after exposure are skin, eyes, and lungs. Mustards are generally tissue irritants with additional systemic effects. Skin contact results in blistering of the affected area which is more severe in moist areas. Contact with the eyes causes severe conjunctivitis and sometimes temporary loss of vision. Damage to the mucosal surface increases the chance of microbial infection and chronic bronchial disease.
Burns caused by mustards are severe and associated with a protracted healing process.
At supra-lethal doses, mustard produces acute toxic effects on the central nervous system that leads to convulsion and rapid death. There are numerous reports on chronic injuries to the skin, eye and respiratory system. Data on chronic hematologic sequelae of mustard gas poisoning are, however, sparse. Severe mustard gas poisoning causes death with pancytopenia and marked bone marrow hypocellularity, of all elements, or normocellular marrow with dyserythropoiesis after about two weeks. These patients usually develop extensive skin burns.