War Gas Identification Sets F. C. HICKEY, O.P., and J . J . HANLEY Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island
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N ATTEMPTING to assist those entrusted with the protection of the local civilian population, "sniff sets" of the common war gases have been useful, to acquaint civil defense officials, air wardens, and auxiliary police, with the odors of those gases they are likely to encounter. Fortunately, each gas has its own identifying odor which may be readily recognized by association with common products, but since there is more variation in odor perception than in any other faculty, there will not be complete certainty unless the actual gas is a t hand for the identification of its odor. The purpose of this paper is to offera means whereby those confronted with the task of training civilian groups may prepare "sniff sets" similar to those used by the military forces. The sets described here were prepared with the facilities of a typical college laboratory. They consist of six glass-stoppered, two-ounce bottles, one each for the following gases: mustard, lewisite, chlorine, chlorpicrin, phosgene, and tear gas (chloracetophenone). Three bottles are half filled with activated charcoal to adsorb the gas. The contents of the other three will be described later. The bottles are placed in holes drilled in a block of wood, to facilitate handling. (See Figure 1.) I t is found advisable to smell the bottles in the following order because of the increasing intensity of the odor: mustard, lewisite, chloracetophenone, chlorine, chlorpicrin, and phosgene. Only enough air should be drawn in to fill the nostrils, as deeper breathing dulls the sense of smell and may prove iniurious.
mediate decontamination should be applied. All pieces of apparatus contaminated with persistent agents must be boiled in strong soap solution under the hood for several hours. (HS) This gas, 0-0'-dichlorethyl sulfide, (CH,ClCH,)& is a vesicant or blistering agent. It exists in the form of liquid and the vapor bas the odor of mustard, horseradish, or garlic. It has a delayed effect, burning the skin or membrane, inflaming the respiratory tract, and thereby leading to pneumonia. Eye irritation and conjunctivitis are other effects noted. Treatment, after removal from the gassed area, consists in undressing the victim, removing liquid mustard with fat solvents such as gasoline, followed by applications of protective ointment or bleaching solution, or baths with strong soap and hot water. The eyes may be treated by irrigation with a two per cent sodium bicarbonate solution. Chloride of lime reacts slowly with vesicant agents to destroy them. I t cannot be applied in the pure form because the reaction is explosive. In order to avoid this the chloride of lime is mixed with earth, one to three parts by weight or two to three parts by volume or shovelful. This mixture, known as Dry Mix, is used to cover ground, roads, etc., with which i t must remain in contact for twenty-four hours. Since Dry Mix cannot be applied to walls and ceilings, a slurry is used, made by mixina chloride of lime with water MUSTARD GAS
Since p-p'-dihydroxyethyl sulfide is commercially available, mustard gas is most conveniently and safely prepared by the method of Gomberg (1).
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TISURE1.-THE "SNIIIP SET" FOR IDENTI~CATION OF WAR "An*>
In the preparation of these gases caution must of course be observed. A well-ventilated hood, gas masks, and heavy rubber gloves specially made for this purpose are definite requirements. Even these heavy gloves may ultimately be destroyed by lewisite and mustard, and should these liquids be spilled im-
Two hundred and fifty grams of the hydroxymustard are dissolved in 400 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and the solution is warmed to 60' to 75OC. until the heavy yellow oil separates as the lower layer. The oil is se~aratedin a seoaratorv funnel and filtered through a layer of calcium chloride or sodium chloride. The product is sufficiently dry for ordinary purposes. If greater purity is desired, the oil may be distilled under reduced pressure and the liquid coming over a t 106' to 108°C. a t 20 mm. of mercury collected. The distilled product is water white and of such faint odor that it is hardly useful in a "sniff set."
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If .6'-8'-dihvdroxvethvl sulfide is not available. mus- Prebaration . tard gas may be prepared Guthrie's (2) It is prepared by condensing arsenic trichloride with of through acetylene in the presence of anhydrous aluminum monochloride. chloride (3).
