Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-07-30
US. FIELD TRIALS
Of POISON GAS
Public Now Permitted to Know
Details of the Tests
Conducted.
animal LIVES SACRIFICED
Conditions Were Reproduced As
Nearly Like Those of the Battle
field as rossible--Greatest
Secrecy Maintained.

New York.-Tucked away in a bar
rem pine belt In New Jersey, near
Lakehurst, was located one of the
most interesting army camps in the
country. for there tests were made in
actual large scale field trials of new
gases which looked promising for
warfare In laboratory tests. OF course
the greatest possible secrecy guarded
all proceedings there, the personnel,
both enlisted and commissioned, hav.
ing been selected with great care, so
that nothing would leak out. Now
that the camp is disbanded, scarcely
a trace of it remaining, Lieutenant
Colonel w. S. Bacon, chief of the
proving division, tells of the work of
the camp in the Journal of Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry.
While the camp lasted all the
things done with gas on the combat
fields of Europe were tried out there.
The camp had trenches, dugouts, con-
crete bomb-proof retreats, so that gas
effects might be accurately noted and
dpPACh " ONttStuS WtFk.
There were hospitals for the gassed,
goats, dogs, guinea pigs and monkeys
that were subjected to military ex-
posture, and the sort of care that hui
mans received abroad was given to
those animal sufferers. They were
saved when possible, and when not
possible the camp authorities knew
they had a gas which would be fatal
also to enemy soldiers. The camp
called at all times for the exercise of
chemical, electrical, medical, engi-
neering and military skill OF high or
der, and 1t became one of the most
valuable agencies in the war.
Proper Bursting Charge.
TO make clear the trials and tests
necessary" Lieutenant Colonel Bacon
writes, before substance was FINAL
ly recommended let us take as an ex-
ample substance X, which has been
found In the research laboratory to
be promising, both as to toxicity and
ease of manufacture. Enough of this
substance was made to fill several
eAeAAAN0 6hCAAc vi
The first step toward making recon-
mendation was to determine a proper
bursting charge for the substance.
After the bursting charge had
been determined large numbers of
the shell were repeatedly fred on
trenches, wooded areas rolling and
level ground, etc, in the same num-
bers as used In actual warfare.
Animals were placed In these
areas and samples Of the gas taken.
After a number Of such experiments,
very accurate and constant results
were obtained, upon which, If the sub
stance proved satisfactory, data could
be given to the artillery as regards
how many shells of this particular
gas should be used, with corrections
for size of area, wind velocities, tenn
peratures, ground conditions, etc.
Trials were continually held to deter
mine how many high explosive shell
could be fred with gas shell on the
same area without affecting the con-
centrations.
'The use of the high explosive
shell in combination with gas shell
was highly important in order to
disguise the gas bombardment. The
burst of gas shell fired alone can be
distinguished by the small detona-
tion."
Lines Of Trenches. -
Two complete lines of trenches and
several impact grounds were used for
the work. and shells were fired for
as great distance as 5000 yards. Not
only were the most minute accounts
kept Of all conditions at the point of
firing, but sampling contrivance was
arranged by which at all times and
places the intensity and effect Of gas
charged air could be recorded. Photo
graphs were also taken Of every ex-
piosion as an aid In determining the
conditions that would be most effec-
tive In practice, low-lying clouds of
gas and wide diffusion being the
things desired. From 125 to $50 sam
pies Of gassed air were taken daily
on the ranges.
There was a research laboratory
for the analysis of gases under field
practice, a chemical laboratory to pre-
pare gases for the experimental work,
md loading plant. The filling of
6fery shell was analysed and imme-
diAtely after firing, samples of the re-
leased gas were at once analysed for
-