Mell How did mustard gas work?
The most widely used, mustard gas, could kill by blistering the lungs and throat if inhaled in large quantities. Its effect on masked soldiers, however, was to produce terrible blisters all over the body as it soaked into their woollen uniforms.
What is chlorine gas ww1?
The German gas warfare program was headed by Fritz Haber (1868 – 1934) whose first try for a weapon was chlorine, which he debuted at Ypres in April 1915. Chlorine is a diatomic gas, about two and a half times denser than air, pale green in color and with an odor which was described as a ‘mix of pineapple and pepper’.
Is chlorine gas still used today?
Chlorine gas has many industrial uses, but it was also once used as a chemical weapon in World War I. Today, most incidents of chlorine exposure are through accidental industrial or household exposures.
What was the difference between chlorine and mustard gas?
Chlorine was a true gas that poisoned on being inhaled – thus a gas mask offered protection. Mustard gas was essentially a form of vapour and burned tissue on contact so as well as a gas mask bare skin had to be protected – said to be one reason for the abandonment of the kilt and the discouragement of shorts.
How does mustard gas affect the human body?
Blister agents are no fun. Once in contact with an unsuspecting victim, they damage skin and internal areas such as mucous membranes inside your nose and throat. Mustard gas is an alkylating agent, meaning its chemicals destroy DNA and cells and liquefy tissue.
Why was mustard gas used on the Western Front?
Mustard gas was essentially a form of vapour and burned tissue on contact so as well as a gas mask bare skin had to be protected – said to be one reason for the abandonment of the kilt and the discouragement of shorts. Both used in some quantity.
Who was the first person to make mustard gas?
The chemists who stumbled upon the compound quickly realized it could be deadly and even fatal if inhaled. Many credit Fredrick Guthrie as the first to synthesize mustard gas in 1860 , and Dow Chemical as the first company to produce it (during World War I) [source: Holland ].