USAMRICD TECH MEMO 90 1 CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEM CASUALTY CARE

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Subject: USAMRICD TECH MEMO 90 1 CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEM CASUALTY CARE    

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003205

Folder Title: CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEMICAL CASUALTY CARE                                                        

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Folder Seq  #:         31





           AW 16 190 11:36                                                 P.4





           UPAMRXCD Technical Memorandum 90-1


           DTOLOGICAL EFFECTS
           These compounds cause ef fects by inhibiting acetyloholinesterase
           Which  allows   an excess amount of         the neurotransmitter,
            .etylaholine, to accumulate at the nerve endings of the
           Nolinergic part of the nervous system.       As a result there is
           h eractivity of the organs stimulated by these nerves, which
           i@lude skel-etal muscles, smooth muscles, glands, and other parts
           qf the nervous system.
            I
           This Portion of the nervous system is subdivided into the
           'scarinic and nicotinic (can be stimulated by muscarine and
           nlcotine,   respectively).      The muscarinic     includes smooth
           (involuntary) muscles and  glands and the nicotinic includes
           skeletal (voluntary) muscles and ganglion. The CNS includes both
           tVDas of receptors (muscarinic and nicotinic). The importance of
           th-is clinically is that ATROPINE, the antidote of choice,
           ameliorates effects mostly at the muscarinic sites and at
           therapeutic doses has little effect at nicotinic sites.
           Toxicity, The Loso of VX is 10 mcg/70 kg man, which is a very small
           droplet.   This i;hould be remembered when decontaminating.        By
           Vf per, these compounds are 25-50 times more toxic than cyanide.
           CTINICAL EFFECTS
            I
           Signs and symptoms depend on route of exposure and amount of
           @osure. Battlefield exposure is most likely to be by one of two
           r?utes or a combination of the two.
            I
           vapor exposure
           14ild:  Exposure to a small amount of vapor for a brief time
           characteristically causes effects in one or more of three organs,
           t#e eyes, the nose, and the lungs. These are local effects of the
           v4por on the organ and may or may not correlate with a decrease
           (inhibition) of blood (erythrocyte) cholinesteraso.
               Eyest Miosis (unilateral possible, but usually bilateral)
                       conjunctival injection; pain (deep in eye or head and
                       liaohy"; dim vision, "blurred vision"
               Nose:   rhinorrhea
               Lungs: bronohoconstriction; secretions of glands in
                        airways; dyspnea of varying degrees, cough,
                        "tightness in cbest", wheezing, etc.
               Time oours@. Effects occur seconds after onset of exposure,
               maximize within minutes after exposure ceases, and generally
               do not worsen after 15-20 'minutes after removal from
               exposure (donning mask or removal from atmosphere)


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Document 22 f:/Week-36/BX003205/CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEMICAL CASUALTY CARE/usamricd tech memo 90 1 clinical notes on chem c:12249609312728
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003205
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEMICAL CASUALTY CARE
Folder Seq # = 31
Subject = USAMRICD TECH MEMO 90 1 CLINICAL NOTES ON CHEM C
Document Seq # = 1
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 = 24-DEC-1996