war - always dreadful and terrible.But some of the weapons are so severe that banned all conceivable international conventions in the field of warfare.The latter includes mustard gas, better known as mustard gas.
Physical and chemical characteristics
This chemical agent has the formula (Cl-CH2CH2) 2S.Mustard gas is a blister agent means, completely destroys the lungs by inhalation of even relatively small amounts of gas.Perfectly enters the body through the skin, rubber masks standard is also permeable.
substance has no color, but in some cases have had mild yellowish or greenish.It is believed that mustard got its name because of the peculiar smell, like the scent of fresh seeds of this plant, but few survivors often remember about the smell of horseradish.
«baptism of fire»
first recorded combat use in the First World War, when the German side fired shells with mustard Russian troops.It happened under the town of Ypres (Belgium) in 1917.
In the case of the first combat use of poisoning suffered about 2500 people, with 87 of them died.English chemist quickly enough could make mustard gas in the home, but its production was able to establish only a year, and just two months after the armistice was signed.
note that the First World has entered into history as the period in which toxic substances are used in huge quantities.Even in World War II they spent much less.Just think: just a couple of years of using mustard gas on the heads of the soldiers had poured about 12 thousand tons of poison!Severe poisoning have received about 400 thousand people.
Why is it so dangerous substance
immediately acquired a very bad reputation even among the German troops.Start with the fact that mustard gas (before the transition to the gaseous state, of course) very slowly evaporates.The area has undergone infecting them for a few days it is deadly to all living things.
But far worse is the effect it has on the human body.
strike the
Since mustard blister agents have the first pass gets skin.The skin quickly formed huge bubbles filled with yellowish pus and ichor.Affected people go blind, they observed increased lacrimation, salivation (increased salivation), as well as pain in the sinuses.After contact with the dispersion of particulate matter in the gastrointestinal tract develop severe diarrhea, nausea and cramping in the stomach.
Mustard very tricky by the fact that even when ingested its middle dose symptoms can occur only after 12 hours or even a day later.If the concentration and time of exposure were higher, the manifestations observed in a couple of hours.
example of combat effectiveness
English Major General White in 1918 was accompanied by a group of wounded and victims of mustard gas fighters in the hospital train.Arriving at the next station, they had to pick up another batch of wounded soldiers.One of the officers saw that on the platform of forgotten personal belongings of victims, among whom were binoculars in leather case.He took it in a hurry, and then hung in his compartment and went to bed.
As it turned out, in the case remained a couple of drops of poison.During the night they disappeared.Even so insignificant dose enough to the officer suffered serious damage to eyes.Fortunately, he was able to heal, but it took three (!) Months.Just think: from a couple of drops of a man out of action for several months.What we talk about when the soldiers found themselves in the midst of ...
Mortality
It is believed that mustard (mustard gas) leads to death is not in 100% of cases.Often, the victims are recovering, although it takes a lot of time.However, the "recovery" it can be called a stretch, since many large scars remain for a lifetime.Much of the victims soon faced with the problem of chronic diseases suddenly appeared.
If couples mustard, even in minute concentrations get into the body of a pregnant woman, then (with the exception of late), it is almost a 100% chance to give birth to a baby with genetic defects, deficiencies in mental and physical development.
abscesses, which are formed on the skin of a person as a result of exposure to mustard gas, are treated very, very bad.Survivors often have to amputate the affected limb as huge festering sores begin to threaten the development of gangrene poisoning the human body decay products.
In the case of inhalation of vapors of mustard death occurs almost always (90%), because the lungs are decomposed almost instantly, and if anyone had survived, then the rest of your life will be disabled.
Factors affecting the efficiency of mustard
Almost immediately after the start of the use of mustard gas has been observed that most effectively it works in hot and dry weather.The reason is very simple: at high ambient temperatures the evaporation rate of the chemical agent is significantly increased, and sweaty skin is much more vulnerable to the poison.
At a temperature of only 14 degrees Celsius mustard quickly freezes.Unfortunately, soon we developed special additives, adding that this chemical agent becomes much more stable.Moreover, resistance to freezing is increased so that it can be used even in countries with very cold climates.
In particular, shortly before the ban was designed mixture of mustard gas, which allows to use it with success, even in the Arctic.The mechanism of action is simple: poison gas shells to explode, after which tiny droplets of poison deposited on the clothes and weapons of the enemy.Once people come in more or less a warm room, it starts to evaporate rapidly and easily cause poisoning.
Given that mustard gas since the 1st World still poisonous contamination in cold climates generally will remain dangerous for decades.Long-term effects
Alas, even at this mustard gas poisoning consequences do not end there.The fact that the chemical agent affects roughly human DNA.Soldiers who have been subjected to chemical attack at Ypres, killing at all.Some of them returned home, many of whom were of reproductive age.The percentage of deformities and genetic disorders in their children and grandchildren many times higher than the usual indicators.
Mustard gas - a potent carcinogen and mutagen.At Ypres, where it was first used, until now there is increased incidence of cancer.
Current status
As we have said, the effect of the use of mustard gas is so shocked the world that even in those years began to be heard the voices of his complete prohibition.The theme of this raises and the League of Nations and the UN, which has become its successor.That's only after endless bureaucratic squabbling already started WWII, and then take appropriate decisions repeatedly sabotaged.
And only in 1993, after almost 100 years since the first combat use of mustard gas, he, like all other chemical warfare agents, was completely banned.Currently around the world remains of chemical weapons disposed.In particular, not so long ago had left Syria last mustard gas.The poison will soon be completely redesigned.
