Health – Ren’s Survival Guide: Mustard Gas

Introduction: This is one of soon to be many mini-guides on the dangers we might face as a world in the coming years. It is meant to educate and enlighten, not to frighten. The best way to face danger is with your eyes wide open and your mind knowledgeable.

Find more at the Index Page.

Overview

Musdard Gas refers to several man made chemicals that are liquid at room temperature. The liquid is, when pure, clear and odorless. However, when mixed with certain other chemicals, it can take on a brown color and smell similar to garlic. It was made in large amounts durring World War One and Two and was reportedly used in the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s and several other smaller engagements around the world. The US uses it for research purposes only and the US Department of Defense must destroy its remaining stocks by 2004.

Sulfur Mustard in particular can also smell similar to onions or mustard, but could also carry no smell. Yellow is another color it could hold when in solid or liquid forms. It currently has no medical usage.

Symptoms of Exposure

Exposure to Sulfur Mustard is not deadly in most cases. Uses of Sulfur Mustard in WW1 resulted in less than 5% of deaths among those who were exposed and got medical treatment. Those exposed may not notice exposure as there is no natural smell to Sulfur Mustard.

Symptoms can develop within 2-24 hours depending on level of exposure, with more sensitive victims showing signs sooner.

Skin contamination by Sulfur Mustard gas can result in redness and itching of the area within 2-48 hours, which can develop gradually into a yellow blistering of the skin. Exposure to liquid Sulfur Mustard can cause second to third degree burns on tehs kin and lead to scarring. Extensive skin burns can be fatal.

Eye contamination can result in irritation, swelling and pain within 3-12 hours of a mild to moderate exposure. Severe exposure can result in symptoms within 1-2 hours, adding light sensitivity, severe pain, or blindness of up to ten days. Extended exposure could cause permanent blindness.

Breathing in Sulfur Mustard can bring about runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness of throat, bleeding from the nose, sinus pain, shortness of breath and coughing within 12-24 hours of a mild exposure and within 2-4 hours of a severe exposure. Extensive breathing of vapors can cause chronic respiratory disease, repeated respiratory infections or death.

Ingestion of Sulfur Mustard can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting.

Lastly, exposure to Sulfur Mustard can increase ones’ risk for lung or respiratory cancer(Mustard Gas attacks the DNA of cells).

Evading/Dealing with Mustard Gas exposure

Sulfur Mustard vapor is heavier than air, so it will settle into lower regions. If it is released inside an enclosed area, seek to exit that area if you can. If you cannot, seek higher floors. If outside, seek to leave the area of release and get to higher ground.

If your clothing is contaminated, proceed with standard procedure. Remove them and double seal them in two plastic bags for later disposal by proper authorities. If your skin is contaminated, wash the contaminated area with plain, clean water. If your eyes have been exposed, rinse them. Do not cover the eyes with a bandage, but do protect them from possible light sensitivity with sunglasses or goggles. If Sulfur Mustard has been ingested, do not induce vomiting, but do give the person milk to drink.

In all cases, immediately seek medical attention after exposure.

Medical Care

There is currently no antidote for Sulfur Mustard exposure. Care primarily consists of removing as much of the substance form the body as possible, followed by supportive medical care to minimize the effects of exposure. Exposure is usually not fatal.

Terrorism Implications

As it breaks down quickly once released, it won’t move from soil to ground water and doesn’t build up in the tissues of animals. That also makes its use in extended terror attacks unlikely.

Making the gas is harder than weaponizing industrial chemicals, requiring proper equipment to make in large quantities. But it is not as hard as creation of nerve agents. There have been unconfirmed reports of terrorists attempting to get their hands on ingredients for this chemical, but thus far it has never been used in terrorism.

Ren’s Conclusion: Given that a large amount of it would be required for anything more than a minor attack, I believe that our intelligence agencies would get wind of possible attacks well before a big attack could be perpetrated. In a smaller one, the biggest risk is uninformed terror and panic amongst civilians. Thus remember what I posted here and do your best to keep calm should an unlikely attack come. Keep your head cool and you’ll survive.

Resources

CDC’s Information on Sulfur Mustard

Spartacus Educational :Mustard Gas

Terrorism Q&A: Mustard Gas

Bristol University: Mustard Gas