New-York tribune., 1918-05-12
Medicine
and
Surgery
The Race Between Poison Cases
and Masks

'O THE lay mind all poison gases
are much the same. The chemist,
however, knows that there arc
great variety Of these gases that
may be employed in warfare, each re-
quiring protection by special mask. An
article in the April number Of "Drug
Topics" gives some idea Of the ingenuity
that has been devoted to this form Of
deviltry. After describing the first gas
attack before Ypres in April, 1915,
which, had the Germans but known it,
opened an unobstructed gap in the Allies
lines, the article describes the contest
between poison and antidote:
Before weather conditions were again
favorable for another attack British
chemists improvised gas masks TO protect
the Tommy consisting Of respirators with
pads OF cotton and wool wrapped In muslin
and soaked in solutions Of sodium carbonate
and thiosulphate.
Finding that their chlorine was no
longer effective against the English masks,
the Germans next introduced phosgene gas,
more deadly than prussic acid and more in
sidious than chlorine. This the British met
with new gas helmet soaked with sodium
phenate.
ut now became a chemists' war. Next
the Germans developed a more concentrated
FORM OF phcsgene gas, many times more
deadly than their original phosgene. From
Russia came the tip how to overcome this
through the use OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
(urotropinc) (CH2) 6N4. Used in conjunc-
tion with sodium phenate, this protected
against phosgene at concentration of /:
1oo0. An excess Of sodium hydroxide was
used with the sodium phenate and a valve
was provided for the escape Of exhaled air.
Following this German chemists per-
tected their celebrated tear shell made Of
xylyl bromide or bromide benzyl. made by
terminating the higher fractions of coal
tar distillates. A concentration CT / part
In million OF this lachrymator makes the
eyes water so severely that the victim can
naroly see. In an attack on the French the
Germans cut them up badly with these
shells and made many prisoners.
10 increase the confusion of the Allies
she German chemists next worked up a
deadly gas she'll containing trichloromethvI
chloroformate. These shells were intro
duced to trap gun crews in dugouts that
could not be reached by direct shots and
proved very effective for - time.
Ine shell bursts anywhere near the run
and the gas is swept by the wind into Che
hiding place of the gunners, killing them.
another type of gas shell came later con-
tanning dichlorodiethylsulfde (mustard
gas). AS many as $4,000 of these shells
British at Ypres. '''.
This gas causes only irritation Of the
eyes at hrst, but in few hours produces
intense blistering. pain, discharge. Of the
nose ana vomiting, as we'll as coughing.
.After the first attack Of this gas, the
ize II. "s~-s ''S4s'"'-
"checkmated at every point BY prot.e-
I've masks OF one kind after another the
uellnan chemist now set about to produce
70 sneeze SO violently that he could NOT
keep mask on his head, and would thus
become exposed to the deadly vapor.
This he accomplished throueb ~. r..
OF phenycarbylamine chloride. lachrv-
mstor, and diphenyl-chloroarsine m;r.a
with other gases. Allied chemista aes;r
met this new type Of she'll with another
type OF mask Allied with neutralisinr
Incidentally Allied Freach and n~,.,.s
chemists have developed gases Of their ov,,.
which are said to be more efficient thar
the German gases and to cause more deadly
effects. ''"'' asau'y
"notn sides are now searching for a now
TYPE OF gas that will be oderless, colorless
ana invisible; that will give no warning cf
ses presence against which the soldier With
OUT mask can protect himself. He win
JUST breathe the air and drop. The chemist
VINO can discover this gas has it within his
power 20 win the war and 60 down to fame.s
IT, Ev..x. Nh