Medical Aspects of Chemical Warfare (2008) - The Black Vault

Medical Aspects of Chemical WarfareExhibit 2-3DiphosgeneTrichloromethyl chloroformate (ClCO 2CCl 3) was developed soon after the first use of phosgene in World War I. Likephosgene, it was also known as “green cross” because of the distinct markings on German shells containing the chokinggas. The official German name was “perstoff.” The British used it under the name “superpolite” or “diphosgene,”while the French called it “surpalite.” It is a colorless, oily liquid with a distinct odor. It is similar to phosgene becauseit can break down under certain conditions to form two molecules of phosgene, but it does have an added tear-gaseffect. Diphosgene, classified as moderately persistent, remains at the point of release for over 10 minutes.weapons to create panic in the lines.DiphosgeneThe Germans introduced diphosgene, anotherpulmonary agent, to their growing deadly arsenal inMay 1916. This effective lung irritant and choking gaswas dispersed via “green cross” shells, named for theshells’ distinct markings. As poisonous as phosgeneand sometimes considered more toxic (Exhibit 2-3),diphosgene was developed because the vapors coulddestroy the gas mask filters in use at the time, and ithad greater persistence in the environment than phosgene.Germany eventually deployed combinations ofphosgene, diphosgene, and diphenylchlorarsine.Mustard GasRemaining consistently ahead in gas warfareFig. 2-8. American casualty from mustard being carried intogas hospital. US Signal Corps photograph.Photograph: Courtesy of US Army Military History Institute,Carlisle, Pa.development, Germany introduced mustard gas(sometimes referred to as “Yperite”) on July 12, 1917,against Canadian troops near Ypres. Mustard gas wasdistinguished by the serious blisters it caused bothinternally and externally several hours after exposure.Protection against mustard gas proved more difficultthan against either chlorine or phosgene (Figure 2-8).The first large-scale mustard gas attack occurred justover a week after its first use, when the Germans attackedthe British at Nieuport, resulting in over 14,000casualties, 500 of whom died within 3 weeks. Thenext month the Germans fired 100,000 mustard shells,marked with a yellow cross, against the French SecondArmy, causing 20,000 casualties. 25In September 1917 Germany employed mustardladenartillery shells against the Russians at Riga.The Allies did not use mustard until that Novemberat Cambrai, after the British captured a large stock ofGerman yellow cross shells. It took nearly a year forthe British to reach large-scale mustard production ontheir own; they then used it extensively in breaking theHindenburg line in September 1918. 25Major General Amos A Fries, head of the GasService of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF)in France and later chief of the Army’s ChemicalWarfare Service (CWS), recognized that mustard gascompletely changed gas warfare. Although it was firstused to produce casualties and fragment enemy troopconcentrations, mustard caused 20,000 casualties inonly 6 weeks after its introduction. Despite remainingpotent in soil for weeks after release, making captureof infected trenches a dangerous undertaking, sulfurmustard lived up to its nickname as “king of the wargases” on the battlefield (Exhibit 2-4). The Germanscaused 5,000 French casualties alone in a matter of 10days during shelling of Verdun in September 1917. Germanycontinued to use mustard gas to great advantagethroughout the winter of 1917–1918, producing casualties,creating confusion, and lowering morale amongenemy ranks. In March 1918, during the last great Germanoffensive (Operation Michael), the German armyused mustard to neutralize the strongly defended city20