Eventually it causes paralysis, respiratory failure and often death. The U.N. suspects the number may have been twice that. It kills cells and, having impeded breathing and circulation, causes death within two days. It can also be ingested or injected. Chlostridium perfingens, a meat contaminant, can enter open wounds and cause gas gangrene.
Toxins kill muscle cells and cause bloating, shock, jaundice and sometimes death.
A drop of the nerve gas VX prevents the transmission of nerve signals, causing loss of muscle control, respiratory paralysis and death. As a liquid, it causes itching, burning and inflammation on the skin, followed by swelling of tissues. After a day, small blisters form, which are vulnerable to fatal tissue degeneration and infection. Inhalation leads to pulmonary edema, in which fluid floods the lungs, causing suffocation. The U.N. suspects that Iraq has a considerable arsenal of equipment, including Scud or other missiles, that the country could use to launch warheads filled with biological or chemical weapons.