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File: 970107_sep96_decls37_0003.txt
Subject: BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES
Unit: ARCENT
Parent Organization: CENTCOM
Box ID: BX000530
Folder Title: BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES
Document Number: 2
Folder Seq #: 24
UNCLASSIFIED
tui
morning to take advantage of favorable mcicor6log- Iranian troops %veto provided with 2'i'lO-
ical conditions. pine autoinjectors and amyl niiiiie capsules ','and.
dotes for nerve agents and initial treatment for
CHEMICAL WARFARE P cyanide poisoning, re@c-dvcly. 'no second phase
of treatment for cyanide at aid stations consisted of
(LI) The following articles on chemical warfare are 20 grams sodium thiosulfate solution administered
solely intended to describe the foreign threat and the intravenously over 20 @nutes. Iranian soldiers fre-
environment in which DESERT SHIELD opera- I n'dy self mi
quo -ad' 'nistercd atropine following expo-
dons are conducted. 7lese articles must not be used sure to mustard agents because of lack of training in
by operational medical personnel as the basis for
medical preventive or treatment measures. For cor- CW protective measures and inability to identify the
rect information on prevention and tre3tmen@ refer agent used.
l doctrine. treatment for time agent exposure was not
re
by Iranian troops, and soldiers not wearing
Iran/Iraq. Chemical Warfare (CNIO Casualty protective clothing and 6ght-fitting masks (beards
@r-e and Evacuation (BOIFO@ prevent a tight seal) usually died in forward areas,
Iraq is known to have employed the Nerve agent casualties were decontaminated at the
nerve agents tabun (GA) and sarin (GB) (also re- medical treatment point by washing with soap and
pomd to have the capability for VX; an oil-based water and shaving body hair. Most nerve agent cas-
organophosphale, which is mainly effective through ua)6es received only atropine injections (2 milli-
slin absorption), blister 2pents, mustard Las- "dustv" grams per 8 bouts) and respiratory support as
lWquirc4. Comatose casualties without cardiovascu-
r a y a blood Mlar problems and arriving at the aid station within 20
to 60 minutes of exposure were treated with very
agent, cyanide gas. 'no vast majority of @@)ties
large doses of atropine and toxogonin (similar to 2
esulted from mustard a gcnts.
PAM chloride). Comatose casualties WithCaTdiovas-
Sufficient Iranian resources A,cre not cul3r deteriora don were not treated further as expe-
rience indicated they would not recover (I to 2
available to cope with the tens of thousands of casu-
alties that occurred yearly in the war with Iraq. As a percent of the casualties received at the mobile med-
rcsvlt of poor medical capabilities, many @uallics ic2i points). Some patients experiencing cramps
received improper or incomplete treatment; others were given '30 milligraim d@pam. Soldiers with
received none at all. Insufficient protective clothing minor exposures spent I to 3 days at a field hospital
and masks, reluctance to wear pmiective clothing and then were returned to the fronl
because of the hot environzncn@ and the inability to
don protec6@c clothing rapidly enoi)gh all contrib- (k4 CW-injured Iraqis administer self-aid, if possi-
bJe, or buddy aid when required. The air force med-
uted to massive CW exposures. Collective proicc-
ical unit is responsible for providing medical care to
6on was nonexistent. Open water sources became all patients evacuated by air, transport planes ate
contaminated during CW attacks, and with no pro-
equipped to transport litter cases.
lected water sources in forward areas, many soldiers
attempted to decontaminate themselves with the
k@ At the beginning of the Iraqi CW attacks,
chemically contaminated water. Many wounded Iranian CW casualty care varied greatly. With no
were left unattended on the battlefield. AJ though
known antidotes for mustard agents, immediate de-
conventional weapons caused far grater casualties, contamination (30 seconds to 2 minutes) is essential
and nerve agents were more toxic, mustard gas to prevent injury. Immediate decontamination of
agents had the greatest psychological ,-aluc in cmat- Iranian CW casualties was inadequate to nonexis-
ing panic and f"raznong troops. Additionally, mus- tenl Medic-a] personnel eventually developed a stan-
tard agents caused greater morbidity, thus tying up dard treatment protocol for mustard casualties
assets. similiar to that used by European physicians , which
can be sx)mmarized as follows.
10
UNCLASSIFIED
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Document 3 f:/Week-48/BX000530/BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES/biological warfare capabilities:0103970806305
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-48
Box ID = BX000530
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES
Folder Seq # = 24
Subject = BIOLOGICAL WARFARE CAPABILITIES
Document Seq # = 2
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 03-JAN-1997