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What people see and 90 through themselves they are not likely to forget. Recognizing the truth of this p r i n c i p l e ,Dr.Eisenschiml emphasizes importance of drill and demon strations in preparing civilians for gas defense.
The material from which the gas is made must be plentiful and easily avail able in many places.
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Suggestions for a Popular Gas Lecture W/ith Practical Training Exercises BY OTTO EISENSCHIML T Η E R E not a chemist alive who would not rather be exposed to poison gases than to bombs, bullets, or bayonets, and with good reason. For aside from the fact that he can protect himself against poison gases, his chances for survival are much better. This does not mean that posion gases are harmless. On the contrary, they are plenty dangerous if you do not know how to take care of yourself. A fire is dangerous too, if you do not know that water quenches it—or if you fail to have water around We hear little of poison gases in wars
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until the memorable 22nd of April, 1915, when the Germans loosed chlorine gas near the Belgian town of Ypres. On that day our whole conception of modern war was revolutionized, and with the revolution there arose an entirely new danger to both soldiers and civilians. A vapor gas, in order to be usable, must be heavier than air; it must also be easy to compress or liquefy. Our lique fied gases must not be corrosive, because otherwise we could not store them or transport them over long distances; for gases must be transported in tank cars, or in steel containers, or in shells.
Ottawa, III., high school students at lecture.
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Get Indoors Quickly / / you should be caught out in the open during a gets attack, try by all means to get indoors. Cover your head and face with your coat, skirt, or overcoat to protect yourself against spray. If you carry an umbrella, open it. And be sure to liolà a wet handkerchief or paper of the Kleenex type in front of your movih. Don't get panicky. A few zohiffs of poison gas toiU not hurt you. I t is prolonged exposure that you must avoid. After you are indoors, make one room gasproof. Choose the room best suited for this purpose, Cup wind and with few windows) and if they are all alike, take one half way between the roof and the basement, because the enemy will probably shower us with high explosives and poison gas at the same time. Next, close all windows, and stuff the cracks to prevent the poisonous air from, entering. You can do that with rags, paper, tape, anything that is handy. Wet newspapers will do very well. [Demonstration by people from audience.] As the enemy will probably combine a bombing attack with gas, some windows will be smashed. Have towels, bed sheets, and tablecloths ready to tack across openings, and if you wet the sheets they will answer the purpose, provided the enemy attacks with vapor gas only. In case of a spray attack, move quicklyfrom any room with broken windows. [Demonstration. ]
The Germans Use Phosgene Six months after the first gas attack, the Germans put into the field a gas that is far superior to chlorine, phosgene. Phosgene is invisible, much more toxic, and has less odor.
Caught outdoors in gas attack students protect heads with materials at hand. C H E M I C A L
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E N G I N E E R I N G
NEWS
But forget about the odor of last war's gases. Your nose is no longer a dependable indicator. New gases, which have been developed, are remarkable for their faint odor, and y e t are as deadly. First A i d in Phosgene Cases Phosgene attacks first the membrane of your throat. The lungs are irritated next and become congested as in pneumonia. Frequently there is a fluid secreted. In some cases the fluid interferes with the respiration seriously, so that the patient drowns, as it were, in his own secretions. When the patient is on his back, he requires less oxygen and the least possible burden is placed on his injured lungs. He will, therefore, have the best possible chance of survival. [Demonstration. ] By artificial respiration you are almost sure to make the case worse than it otherwise would be. It took the Allies six months before their defense caught up with phosgene. But by that time they had developed the gas mask. The Germans Use Mustard Gas In July 1917, the Germans by-passed the gas mask and sprung a new gas on the Allies, called mustard gas, a persistent blistering gas. (Gases are either persistant or nonpersistent In warfare both kinds of gases have their uses.) If an enemy fleet should come within landing distance of our coasts, a phosgene type of gas might be just the thing. But for inland cities the main danger lies in mustard and other persistent gases. Mustard gas is highly toxic if breathed. Much more important, though, it also raises blisters that may cover the entire body. Every mustard gas case, except when given immediate first aid, becomes a hospital case. A gas mask is only a partial defense against mustard gas, in that it protects the lungs. N o clothing is a complete protection against mustard gas, although the prepared clothing our soldiers wear affords them reasonable protection. Clothing used by decontamination squads gives perfect protection, but one cannot walk or work more than 10 or 15 minutes in such clothing. Lately our soldiers have been given additional protection through a cellophane hood that shields them against poisonous sprays. Mustard gas is very persistent. Cases have been known where it lingered for months. It contaminates furniture, walls, floors, and woodwork, where it will remain for weeks. Even concrete and brick interiors will retain it for a long time. Late in 1917 Lee Lewis of Northwestern University with the help of some able assistants developed Lewisite. Lewisite has all the bad and pernicious qualities of mustard gas and it contains arsenic. What makes Lewisite more dangerous than mustard gas is the greater speed with which it acts and its greater toxic effects. Both Lewisite and mustard gas go through Students, protecting themselves from mock spray attack, cover their heads and Îaçes.
ordinary clothing or rubber gloves. The clothing of any person suspected of having been exposed to either mustard gas or Lewisite should be removed before he goes inside; otherwise the entire building will be contaminated, including food and water, with the sole exception of porcelainware and glass. Mustard gas and Lewisite not only affect the skin and the lungs, but also the eyes, and in severe cases the person affected may go blind. First A i d to a Blister Gas Case
When you have been exposed to an attack by mustard gas, Lewisite, or other gases of this type, don't enter a house without first undressing and cleansing yourself. The undressing has to be done within one minute, otherwise help may come too late. Ask for water and soap, before you enter. Splash water into your eyes, and plenty of it. Next, gargle and at the same time dab off any wet spots on the exposed parts of the body. D o not wipe them off, and do not dab with the same cloth twice. Be sure not so smear, because the liquid must not be spread. The eyes have to be treated without delay. In a hospital they would use diluted hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda. You use water and plenty of it and irrigate the eyes by pouring the water right into them. Then use water and soap on all exposed parts of your body, hands, face, neck and hair. [Demonstration. ] Time is of the greatest importance, and as soon as he is cleansed let's put our man into the bathtub and soap him all over. Then turn the shower on him. Back to the suds, and then more shower. All this time the patient should keep flushing his eyes and gargling. [Demonstration. ] Speed, speed, and speed is what is needed for first aid in a mustard gas or Lewisite case, especially if the victim was sprayed with liquids. Speed of cleansing
is more important than hospital treatment afterward. Liquid mustard gas must come oft the skin in 3 minutes, and liquid Lewisite in 1 minute, or the poison will go through the skin. In the pamphlet containing the popular lecture on poison gases, summarized above, Dr. Eisenschiml gives a foreword to lecturers, advising them to have available on the platform all necessary paraphernalia, such as pails of water, rags, newspapers, tablecloths or sheets, ai.d thumbtacks. After the lecture the question period should be continued until the audience has satisfied itself on all essential points. The lecture as suggested takes up about one hour, and the question period usually lasts about 45 minutes. At the close of the lecture the audience should be handed a leaflet that contains all vital points in condensed form, for use as a refresher and for quick reference. Desirable reading time: a minute and a half. Demonstrations are extremely important, interspersed at appropriate intervals through the lecture: Actually having members of the audience make the lecture hall gasproof; wetting handkerchiefs and holding them in front of the mouth; protecting head and face with coat or skirt; and showing how phosgene, mustard, and Lewisite victims should be given first-aid treatment, using members of the audience as subjects. The lecture is built on the principle that what people hear they forget; what they see they may remember, but what they have actually gone through themselves, they will remember. Besides speaking to many Chicago audiences, Mr. Eisenschiml has trained entire communities, such as Ottawa, Π1., and Oshkosh, Wise, by giving his demonstra tion-lecture to about 10 per cent of the population. * Excerpted. Complete copies of this lecture and the refresher leaflet may be obtained from the author, 1637 South Kilbourn a r e . , Chicago, 111.
