Abstract
DR. F. A. FREETH, of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., addressing a meeting of the City of London Branch of the League of Nations Union on January 26, made some caustic comments on the subject of the position of the civilian population in chemical warfare. The topic of chemical warfare has been so forced on the attention of the populace, he said, that the main danger in case of such an attack would be a psychological one. Every chemical industry necessarily uses various kinds of poisonous materials, gaseous and otherwise, in its processes; but as a menace to the civilian population, they are not worth considering. The really ‘killing’ gases are of low density and in consequence quickly disperse in the atmosphere. As examples, Dr. Freeth mentioned hydrocyanic acid and carbon monoxide, both of which are particularly subtle poisons. Now the exhaust of an idling motor-bus contains about 6 per cent of carbon monoxide and, in consequence, the atmosphere of a narrow thoroughfare like Bond Street in London must, during a busy time, contain considerable quantities of the gas. Yet owing to the ventilation provided by the air, it is not allowed to accumulate. Of the heavier gases used in warfare, Dr. Freeth mentioned chlorine, which requires for its use a quiet atmosphere and a gentle breeze in the desired direction, and mustard gas, which does not spread rapidly and on wet porous soils decomposes. The percentage of deaths to casualties from mustard gas during the War was less than four. If during a gas raid, a man was able to keep his head sufficiently to shut all the windows of his house and put out the fires, he would be able to wait, in reasonable safety apart from a direct hit, until the authorities had dispersed the gas.
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Gas Warfare and Civilian Populations. Nature 133, 168 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/133168a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/133168a0