Medical manual of chemical warfare, 1943 / War Office.

  • Great Britain. War Office.
Date:
1943
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical manual of chemical warfare, 1943 / War Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/100 (page 18)
    Ordinary bleaching powder is more irritating to the skin than the super- tropical variety, but in the absence of the latter it is quite suitable for pre- ventive treatment when made into a paste with water, provided prolonged storage is not contemplated. (ad) Repeated swabbing of the contaminated area with petrol, methylated spinit, kerosene, carbon tetrachloride (Pyrene liquid) or other solvent of liquid mustard gas. It is important to remember that these solvents do not destroy the gas, but merely dissolve it ; hence the swabbing must be confined strictly to the contaminated area. Oilskin or rubber gloves must be used if they are avail- able ; otherwise, the swab should be only partly moistened with the solvent, and it should be held between finger and thumb by the dry portion or preferably in forceps. The wet portion is applied to the contaminated skin so as to soak up the liquid contamination, care being taken that none of the solvent runs over the skin of either the subject or operator ; the contaminated swab is then discarded and the process is repeated with fresh swabs for several minutes, or as long as the characteristic odour of the gas persists on the skin. Thorough washing with soap and water, if available, will complete the treatment ; the contaminated swabs must, of course, be destroyed by burning or burying and the gloves and forceps decontaminated. One disadvantage of this method in the hands of unskilled persons is that the solvent is apt to “ run ”’ on the skin and cause burns on areas comparatively far removed from the original site of contamination ; a further disadvantage is the lability of the operating fingers to become contaminated in the absence of gloves. Employed with care and intelligence, however, the method should be valuable in emergencies at aerodromes, among mechanized transport, and - in other situations where mustard gas solvents are at hand. It is also a good means of removing liquid mustard gas from burns already showing erythema. (ec) Washing with soap and water, using hard soap and frequent changes of water. This process does not destroy the mustard gas, but merely removes it in the lather ; the washing must, therefore, be confined to the contaminated area, and the operator’s hands should be ve deena if possible, by suitable gloves. If the liquid contamination be small, ipcalized and of known situation, this is an effective method of removing it, 1f carried out promptly. V esication of the skin is usually prevented if the treatment is not delayed beyond five minutes, though an erythema may follow. With a gross contamination, or when the drops of liquid mustard gas are numerous, the results of washing with soap and water are unfavourable, as it is difficult to avoid spreading the contaminant in the soapy lather to surrounding areas. In these circumstances bleach treatment is best. Where erythema has already begun, the use of a solvent is recommended ; but if cleansing is delayed, thorough washing should still be carried out at the first-available opportunity in the hope of mitigating the burning. 18. Curative treatment of mustard gas casualties. The first essential is to prevent further injury from contaminated clothing : it may be necessary, therefore, to strip and wash the patient. _ The second essential is to relieve immediate symptoms and to prevent the septic infection of possible lesions. (1) Treatment of the eyes. The value of initial flushing out of the eyes with water or saline has already been considered. Once conjunctivitis is established, irrigation will have no direct effect on the development of the mustard gas injury, and therefore no