Army medical services in the field / [War Office].

Date:
1950
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Army medical services in the field / [War Office]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    objects (e.g., weapon sights), is intensely painful and difficult to the point of impossibility. Instillation of 1 per cent. atropine solution relieves these eye symptoms, but, in the absence of atropine, the effects will not pass off for two to three days. - 450. Although there is no evidence that nerve gases are cumulative, nevertheless there is reason to suppose that individuals repeatedly exposed to smail concentrations become sensitized and subject to attacks of spasmodic asthma from minimal doses. The problem of the disposal of such cases will not be an easy one, and it is probable that a number will have to be transferred out of the theatre of Spe ae | 451. Provision of special protective equipment is unnecessary, since that issued for use against mustard is enough, 452. The hazard from vapour or aerosol is mainly by inhalation, for, although these will penetrate clothing and are absorbed by the skin, they are unlikely to be present in sufficient concentration to be dangerous by this route, except possibly in hot confined spaces. Absorption of vapour or aerosol through the conjunctive will, however, produce the harassing effects already described. It is only necessary to adjust the respirator to be fully protected against these. - 453. Nerve gas in liquid form, however, is absorbed with great rapidity by the skin, and even greater rapidity by the eyes. Eye- shields to protect the eyes will be worn, and if the eyes, the bare skin, or even the clothing is splashed, a situation of great urgency is created. Liquid on the skin must be removed immediately, and the skin all round thoroughly washed clean. All splashed clothing must be stripped off at once and abandoned if life is to be saved, unless it is of a protective type, in which case a few minutes grace is allowed. In contamination with liquid nerve gas, speed is every- thing. Hence personal decontamination can only be done by the man himself. 454. Effective treatment of the early acute stage of severe nerve gas poisoning can only be carried out by trained personnel actually on the spot; time will not allow such casualties to be moved else- where for treatment. Equipment for doing this must be provided in an easily portable form. ts, In severe cases it may be necessary to force air into the lungs with a portable resuscitator of the hand bellow type and to administer a full dose of atropine, preferably intravenously. This combats the acute respiratory failure for the five or 10 minutes necessary until the casualty recovers sufficiently to be able to breathe unassisted.