World War 1 Gas Attacks

First Use of Gas

Although it is popularly believed that the German army was the first to use gas it was in fact initially deployed by the French.  In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans.  Nevertheless the German army was the first to give serious study to the development of chemical weapons and the first to use it on a large scale.

Mustard Gas

Dichlorethylsulphide: the most dreaded of all chemical weapons in World War I - mustard gas. Unlike the other gases which attack the respiratory system, this gas acts on any exposed, moist skin. This includes, but is not limited to, the eyes, lungs, armpits and groin. A gas mask could offer very little protection. The oily agent would produce large burn-like blisters wherever it came in contact with skin. It also had a nasty way of hanging about in low areas for hours, even days, after being dispersed. A soldier jumping into a shell crater to seek cover could find himself blinded, with skin blistering and lungs bleeding.

More About Mustard Gas

Symptoms are usually delayed between two and 24 hours resulting in severe cell damage before the patient may even know they have been exposed. Mild toxicity will result in symptoms such as eye pain, lacrimation, irritation of the mucous membranes, inflammation of the skin, hoarseness, coughing and sneezing.  Severe toxicity may result in blistering, blindness, nausea, vomiting and respiratory complications.  The leading cause of death after mustard agent exposure is lung injury.

Lung injuries start with mild symptoms and gradually increase and ultimately result in chemical pneumonia and pulmonary edema. A drastic reduction in the number of white blood cells is seen approximately 5-10 days after a large exposure and it’s effects on the bone marrow and lymphatic tissue look similar to radiation exposure.  This leaves the patient at significant risk of infection. 

Decontamination is the most important treatment that can be done for a mustard exposed patient.  Removal of clothing, bathing, flushing of the eyes, and washing of the hair are key initial management steps.  Some people go as far as to say you should shave hair completely off if it has been exposed.  Treatment beyond this is primarily supportive and includes antibiotics and pain medication.

Importance Of Weather Conditions

It was important to have the right weather conditions before a gas attack could be made. When the British Army launched a gas attack on 25th September in 1915, the wind blew it back into the faces of the advancing troops. This problem was solved in 1916 when gas shells were produced for use with heavy artillery. This increased the army's range of attack and helped to protect their own troops when weather conditions were not completely ideal.

First Use of Chlorine Gas

The German Army first used chlorine gas cylinders in April 1915 against the French Army at Ypres. French soldiers reported seeing yellow-green clouds drifting slowly towards the Allied trenches. They also noticed its distinctive smell which was like a mixture of pineapple and pepper. At first the French officers assumed that the German infantry were advancing behind a smoke screen and orders were given to prepare for an armed attack. When the gas arrived at the Allied front-trenches soldiers began to complain about pains in the chests and a burning sensation in their throats.

The immediate effects of chlorine gas

The immediate effects of chlorine gas toxicity include acute inflammation of the conjunctivae, nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and bronchi. Irritation of the airway mucosa leads to local edema secondary to active arterial and capillary hyperemia. Plasma exudation results in filling the alveoli with edema fluid, resulting in pulmonary congestion.

Gas Masks

After the first German chlorine gas attacks, Allied troops were supplied with masks of cotton pads that had been soaked in urine. It was found that the ammonia in the pad neutralized the chlorine. These pads were held over the face until the soldiers could escape from the poisonous fumes. By July 1915 soldiers were given efficient gas masks and anti-asphyxiation respirators.