Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-06-07
Gas as a Weapon

w against the allies by their German tOeeF -
contributor TO the Scientific American thinks
that the evidence points 20 chorn and he furnishes
some interesting facts regardng the probable method
Of producing the the battlefield ana Of nsurng
that IL shall reach the In sufficient degree
of concentration 90 damage. A formidable attack
OF this sort May "a s described in Sir John Frencs
report.
some positions in our line east OF Ypres lost yester
day during an enemy gas attack have not yet been
recovered The amount Of used was greater than
any previous occasion. extending a front Of
five miles. The gas emitted from cylinders dur
Ing a period Of four and halt hours. At the same
time our line was bonbarded by ashyxiatng gas
shells until the gas cloud at places to height
of fifty feet from the ground
Portions OF the line remained intact throughout tho
ordeal. and demonstrated that with due
cautions this form Of attack can be successfully met
and defeated"
We reminded by the writer that in the evolution
Of warfare there been increasing Of forces
further and further from the direct Of muscular
This tendency. Of course Il also shown in in
dust1si development We everywhere increased
use of machines the applications OF physical forces
rs they become known through scientific study and
In general the gradual substitution Of natural forces
controlled by mind for the muscular exertion Of
earlier times. He goes on to say:
THE methods Of destruction also cali upon know1-
edge from most Of the arts and sciences, and each
step in their evolution further application Of SCI
entific knowledge
I'm the present European war the application of
such knowledge seems TO be reaching the utmost limit
physicist with it's application Of ply sizes In aerial
CATION and its use or submarines OF telephones
wireless telegraphy searchlghts and range finders.
and the application of chemistry In the manufacture
OF its explosives the manufacture Of hydrogen
for airships, Its Illuminating bombs and flares, and
latest OF ALL in the manufacture Of poisonous gases
be used for tactical purposes.
The reports which have been received seem to
show that the far used Is chIorn. The green
sh-yellow color, the strong SMELL the great density
OF the gas causing 1t TO flow along the ground
Nnrtla Of
victims those exhibited by persons who have been
poisoned by chlorin industrial aocidents that IT,
great irritation Of the mucous membranes, bronchitis
and sudden death by a narcotic action in the most
severe cases
III chorn is the gas which was used It rnust have
reached the trenches In q concentrated form
death unless the death due in part 10 psychology
cai effects for TO produce death rapidly IL Is
sary that the air breathed shall contain at least one
part Of chlorh in 1000 air Long exposure to air
containing one part OF chlorin per 100000 dangerous
ana even smaller amounts Troublesome.
'dt is Of some interest to know how much oh1orin
is needed TO be effective On the superstition that
there Is breeze OF four miles hour and that Il
takes two minutes to empty the containers holding
the chlorin the drift of air during that time would
be about 100 feet charge the lower three feet Of
this afr current with chorin TO concentration one
to Loo would require about six cubic feet OF one
pound for each yard. something like ton per
mile OF battle front Chlorin be obtained COM
mercaly compressed into liquid cylinders
TO cents pound and as by-product In the cleo
well be Of less value"
Under proper conditions che writer concludes Il 10
Quite feasible TO use this Inexpensive and powerful
offensive weapon But the conditions must be right
TOO strong breeze would diffuse the gas variable
wind or calm would njure the user. The gas could
hardly be used unless the battle line straight
or convex toward the enemy, since otherwise the
fumes WOULD be apt 10 drift IN part the users
own lines IN fact II has done sometimes the ais
patches say. we read further;
And then undoubtedly effective preventive or
antldotal measures oe used. A sponge or towel
wet with water better. with basic substance
like cooking soda borax kept ready to put over the
face might hold Off the danger. and more special
respraors charged with basic or with re-
dueng agents like oxalates sodium hyposulfite
might enable the attacked force to tide the worst
OF the attack.
Probably sulphur dioxide and bfomine might be
used In similar way to chlorin, they ex-
tremely irritating, act at once. ana are heavy But
they could both be absorbed by fespratora similar 10
those effective FOR ehlorin
"While the use of poisonous Eases has been spoken
OF de In the line OF evolution warfare since II Is
an application OF advanced knowledge. the thought
comes that In view of the apparent cruelty involved
Il can be used only when II Is shown to be OF great
military value II has been apparently OF military
value temporarily and lie used against military forces
and not against non-combatants end In that sense
perhaps more allowable than the dropping OF bombs
in cities the borbardment OF undefended towns
but the which most in line with this use
of gasee In are the sawtoothed knife, the Jagged
spear and the dumdum bullet. With the perfection OF
preventive measures the tactical ADVANTAGES may be
removed and this bsrbatous application OF scientific
knowledge may not tempt the leaders OF armies Of
so-called enlightened nations"