Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-07-17
experts throughout the world

military experts throughout the world
are trying to determine. Here in
France where the poison gas has been
used with most deadly effect in Cham
payne, ArgOrne, and all along the
fighting line, its ravages have been
particularly APPARENT. and the military
attaches OF many countries have been
active in securing data for their CAV
ernmentS on this new agency.
Colonel Cosby shared the keen in
terest Of his brother military investi-
gator and in one respect he went far
beyond them. There was ample data,
from the battlefeIds and the hospitals,
where CHASTITY patients were a living
witness of the effects Of the new ele-
ment. But Colonel Cosby determined
on q direct personal investigation on
the element itself-the poison gas in all
its fCrmS-juSt as a medical scientist
has at times put some new serum to
the supreme test on himself
But you should be warned of the
extreme risk" said the Chief Chemist.
1T is very dangerous-a matter of life
and death"
feeling that a mysterious agency of
warfare needed to be explored to it's
very end. And so the word was given
to go ahead and the official wheels
turned swiftly in bringing together all
sorts Of gas, fresh and powerful, from
the nearby fighting fronts.
The facilities for such a, test of the
gases were not easily obtained. But
these were at last secured, and the
American military attaChe was the
first and only one to be granted these
exceptional facilities. With these pre-
liminaries arranged, Colonel Cosby
found himself in the presence of long
lines of bottles, ranged on shelves,
much IS in a chemists shop. Sur
geOnS and wnite-g CARRIED attendants
and chemical experts were about, with
pestle and mortar vacuum pumps and
air-tiGht jars, making experiments and
tests Of gases and antidotes. Near by
hung q line of gas masks, with gaping
eye-hOles, used to counterfeit the
poisonous fumes.
The large bottles contained the var
ioUs forms of liquid gas, dierct from
the front, and in varying degrees of
strength. Most of them showed a
volatile yellowtsh liquid which on be-
ing exposed to the air gave off the
deadly gases which have wrought such
groups of these gases: first. those
bursting into flame and commonly
known as liquid flame; second, the
tear producing gases, which do not kill
or permanently MAIN, but which 50
blind a column Of onrushing troops
that they become helpless and are
brought to a halt; and, third, the act
ual poison gas which suffocates and
kills with ten times the horror of a
bullet or shell. This last, it is the be-
lief of military experts, is a bar'barism
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 permanent 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 in
famatory gas. He dress the glass
stopper very cautiously, and Colonel
Cosby took a slight Whit of the gas.
1t was not -powering or violent in
it's effect-or11y 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
Of ether and a perceptible effect on the
eyes. Colonel Cosby was beginning to
think the gases were not 80 very bad
after all.
They. had nov. reached the poison gas