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                                                        

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         31









            SAMRICD Technical Memorandum 90-1

           vASICANTSt A BRIEF REFERENCE
            i
           I[  Vesicants are also known as blister agents because they
            i   cause blisters. They also have other effects and can cause
                death

           2.  There are three types of compounds considered as vesicants
                a.   mustard (distilled mustard, sulfur mustard, nitrogen
                     mustard) (HD is distilled sulfur mustard, R is sulfur
                     mustard  mixed with impurities, ES also sulfur mustard,
                     EN-1,2, and 3 are nitrogen mustards)
                b.   Lewisite (L)
                C.   Phosgone oxime (CX) (actually an urticant; acts like a
                     corrosive)

           3,  The major agent in this class is MUSTARD
                A. History
                     1. Probably first synthesized in the 1820--1854
                     period, but credit is generally given to Guthrie (1860)
                     or Meyer (1886)
                     2. First large scale use was at Ypres, Belgium, on 12
                     July 1917.
                     3. During WWI maybe as many as 400,000 casualties;
                     fewex than 3% died
                     4. May have been used by Italy against Ethiopia (1936)
                     and by 3apan against China (pre- and possibly early
                     WWII)
                     5. Confirmed use by Iraq against Iran 1984--1988

                B. Characteristics
                     1. Oily liquid, colorless to dark brown
                     2. Smells like garlic, onion, mustard (hence, its
                            name)
                     3.     Vapor density 5.4 (much heavier than air); liquid
                            density 1.27 (heavier than water), volatility      of
                            610 mg/cu x 025OF; freezing point about 58' P,
                            mixed with Lewisite or another vesicant (T) to
  reduce this
                     4.     Pure mustard is IID (distilled mustard); usual
                            munition form has about 30% impurities (H);
                            nitrogen mustard (HNI, HN2, HN3) once used in
                            chemotherapy, less important militarily
                C. Dose
                     1. Vapor
                            a. Eye effects: Ct of 70--IOO mg-,min/au m
                            b. Skin erythema& 100--400 Zg-min/cu n
                            c. Severe skin burns: 200--IOOO mcj-min/cu n
                                (very temperature dependent)


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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