The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-26
MOST FA|GHTFUL OF
ALL POISON GASES
By Al Carter

Washington, May :4.--At the edu-
cational exposition. illustrating the
wartime and reconstruction activities
of the department of interior, now be-
ing held there is being shown under
guard a sample OF the most terrible
OF Prof w. Lee Lewis. while in the
employ OF the bureau of mines at its
American university laboratories.
This gas, formerly called "Iewisite, :"
later known as "Methyl," because tho
latter name meant nothing to curious
persons, was being manufactured by
the war department at the rate OF ten
tons day when the armistice came.
The gas is being variously described
AS 'the climax OF the country
achievements in the lethal arts and
as the most terrible instrument of
manslaughter ever conceived
The department. itself declares that
it is the most deadly Of all war gases,
much more deadly than mustard gas.
which heretofore was known by chem
lists as the king Of poison gases" II
is said that ten airplane loads OF
"Methyr would have been sufficient
TO destroy all life in Berlin. II such
extreme measures had been necessary.
and that a single days output would
have been sufficient to SNUFF out the
four million human lives on the island
of Manhattan.
This gas was not only discovered by
Prof. Lewis, but was also developed
by him to a point where it was ready
for production at the American uni
versity while those laboratories were
still under the control OF the bureau
of mines. one OF the organizations of
the department OF the interior. When
this work was first taken up by the
bureau in behalf OF the military au-
thorities, Prof. Lewis was called from
his civilian duties as professor OF
chemistry at Northwestern University.
Evanston. H.. and at the request OF
the bureau was commissioned as cap
tain in the ordnance department and
assigned to the gas warfare service Of
the bureau OF mines
While acting in this capacity Prof.
Lewis discovered and developed this
gas. and eighteen days after the gas
work Of the bureau OF mines was
transferred to the jurisdiction Of the
war department An eleven-acre plant
for its manufacture was started near
Cleveland, Ohio, where the work was
secrecy. This plant. which was dub
bed by the workmen the mouse trap"
because, in order to prevent the leak :
age Of information, It was understood
that the men who entered would not
leave until the war was over, was in
operation within a miraculously short
time, and plans wore made by the war
department to have 5000 tons of this
most diabolitical gas at the American
front by March /. 1918.
When the armistice came the plant
was we'll ahead Of its production
schedule, hut the opportunity had not
come for the use of the gas at the
battle front. Thus the Germans did
not have a chance to obtain a nrst hand
experience with this most frightful Of
all poison gases. OF which 1t Is said
that single drop on the hand will
penetrate to the blood and soon reach
the heart, when II Is the victim in
great agony. 1t is declared that among
the 800 men at the plant there was
not one fatality. this immunity being
largely due to the providing Of all en-
ployees with gas masks. protective
clothing, and extreme precautions in
operation.