Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-08-14

gases, which do not kill or perman-
emily MAIN, but which so blind a col
umn of onrushing troops that they be-
come helpless and are brought to
halt; and, third, the actual poison gas
which suffocates and kills with ten
times the horror of a bullet or shell.
This last, it is the belief of military
experts, is a barbarism of warfare
which must be ultimately banned by
the universal sentiment of civilization.
But they are equally Of the belief that
the lesser forms of gas--which do not
kill but merely interrupt the forward
progress of an attack-are a perman-
en- element of defensive military
strategy which must be taken into
consideration in future warfare.
This is the least deadly" explained
the chief chemist, as he presented one
of the bottles containing the infiama-
tory gas. He drew the glass stopper
very cautiously, and Colonel Cosby
took a slight Whit of the gas. 1t was
not overpowering or violent IN its eff
fect-only a pungent odOr Of ether.
Now the second class of gases were
reached-the tear-producing gases
and these too were tested in the same
way. These, also, were not overpOw-
ering, but gave the same sharp odor
!
the eyes Colonel Cosby was begin
ming to think the gases were not so
very bad after all.
They had now reached the poison
gas-the deadly gas which clutches
and kills. The chemist paused
You will not try this he said, APP
pealingly.
Yes, all of them" said the Colonel
positively, recalling the rather agree
able pungent odor of the other gases.
Then we must be very cautious"
said the chemist. place yourself
about a foot away from the bottle /
will raise the glass stopper the slight
est possible fraction of an inch, so
that only an insignificant portion of
gas can escape-but it will be enough.
Now, ready?"
He drew the stopper the slightest
particle, and only for an instant. with
Colonel Cosby a foot away Bur in
that instant the Colonel felt he had
been hurled back 20 feet. Tongues Of
fire were eating at his throat, and ten
thousand needles were darling around
his neck. II seemed as though live
vitrioI had been emptied in his mouth
and was coursing through his vains.
His whole vocal system was paralyned.
This infnitesimal portion of the dead
ly gas had, in an instant, overpowered
him.
It was some little time before Col
onel Cosby was in a position to dis
cuss his tests. The chief chemist said
the effect would continue some hours
and probably some days It would be
most observable. he said, in eating or
drinking
Colonel Cosby took an auto home,
his throat still on fire, but not other
wise physically affected That night
every mouthful of dinner had the un-
mistakable taste OF the poison gas,
each draught of water had the same
taste OF the deadly gas; and even the
puffs of a cigar had the taste of so
many puffs OF this death-dealing gas
always the fiery needles and SO many
draughts of vitriol. Colonel Cosby
could speak to his family only in in
articulate whispers. They were nat
urally much concerned over the posi-
BILE after effects.
When Colonel Cosby saw a doctor
next day. the throat was found to be
in a very bad condition, and from an
acute attack of laryngitis The coll
onel continued on his duties, but for
a week he could speak only in whis-
pers. II was ten days before the