WAR GASES AND
HYDROCYANIC
ACID
B. MOHAN
Roll.No. 131
WAR GASES
DEF. Any Chemical which is used to produce
destruction or damage Mostly in times of war.
Chemical warfare : The offensive use of nonliving
toxic products produced by living organisms.
Biological warfare: Microorganisms or their products
of metabolism that infect and grow in the target host
producing a clinical disease that kills or incapacitates
human or animals.
CHEMICAL
WARFARE
1) Vesicant/Blistering gas
• Released from artillery shells
Content:
• Sulphur
• Mustard
• Phosgene
• Oximes
• Lewisite (arsenic)
Symptoms
• Irritation of eye, nose , throat & respiratory passage
• Nausea and vomitting
• Abdomen pain
• Skin erythema
• Blisters
• Vescication & ulceration
Treatment
• Wash affected area thoroughly
• Eye wash with sodium bicarbonate
• B.A. L (British Anti Lewisite )
2) Asphyxiants/ lung
Irritants
• Released from Tanks and Gas shells
Contents.
• Chlorine
• Phosgene ( 10x toxic than Chlorine)
• Chloropicrin ( 4x toxic than Chlorine)
• Diphosgene
• Nitrous Oxide
• Sulphur Dioxide
• Ammonia
Symptoms:
• Chest tightness
• Pulmonary Edema
• Watering of Eye
• Cough
• Dyspnea
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Cyanosis
• Collapse
• Death after 1-2 days due to acute Pulmonary Edema
Treatment:
• Eye wash with Boric Acid
• Oxygen and Adrenaline
• Anti-tussives
• Anti- Biotics
3) Lachrymators /Tear gas
• Released from Pen guns or Artillery shells
Contents:
• Chloracetophenone ( C.A. P) (solid)
• Ethyliodoacetate (K. S . K) (liquid)
• Bromobenzyl Cyanide (B.B. C) (liquid)
Symptoms :
• Intense Irritation of eyes
• Copious flow of Tears
• Spasm of eyelid
• Temporary Blindmen
In long continued exposure there may be
• Nausea and Vomitting
• Blistering of Skin
Treatment :
• Patient removed to fresh air
• Eye washed with NS or Boric acid
• Weak Sodium bicarbonate applied on affected skin
• I. V aminophylline /salbutamol inhalation
4) Starmutators /Nasal
Irritants :
• Fired in artillery Shells
Contents:
• Diphenyl Chlorarsine (D. A)
• Diphenylamine Chlorarsine (D. M)
• Diphenyl cyanarsine (C. D)
Symptoms:
• Action on vomiting centre
• Intense pain & visitation in nose & Sinuses
• Sneezing
• headache
• Salivation
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• tightness of chest
• Prostration
5) Paralysants:
• Hydrocyanic acid
• Sulphuretted hydrogen
• Cashon-monoxide
6) Nerve Gas :
• Esters of phosphoric acid and identical to activities
of organophosphates
Agents : -
GA (Tabun)
GB (Sarin)
GD(Soman)
VE
VM
VX
• They are heavy vapours and sink into valleys,
Trenches and basements.
Symptoms :
• Absorbed from lungs, gastrointestinal canal , skin,
conjunctiva
• Inhibits ACE
• loss of conciousness
• Convulsions
• Muncle become flaccid
• Breathing stops
Chemical Crowd
Controlling Agents
1) Ortho chlorobenzylidene
malanonitrile (CS, teargas)
• used by Law enforcers and military
2) CN (mace)
• Available in devices for self protection
3) Oleoresin Capsaicin
(pepper spray, OC)
• Extract of hot pepper
• 1% capsaicin for public
• 5-10% for police
Symptoms:
• Eyes: Burning , Stinging/pain, conjunctivitis, tearing,
Blepharospasm, transient impairment of vision
• Skin : Buring, Stinging/pain, erythema
• Nose and Mouth : Burning, Stinging /pain,
increased secretion
Airways: Burning, irritation, increased
secretion, cough, tightness in chest
• Symptoms relied on itself within 10-15 minutes
• Death reported after use of CN in enclosed spaces
BIOLOGICAL
WARFARE
Organisms include
Bacillus Anthracis
Smallpox virus
botulinum toxin
ricin
Bacteria causing
Plague
Cholera
Typhus
Brucellain
salmonella
• Disseminated in
• Aerosol Spray
• Explosives
• Food/Water Contamination
• Body cleaned with 0.5% hypochlorite/ phenol
disinfectant I transported to mortuary with
impermeable double bag
• Collect blood, CSF and tissue samples for
isolation of bacteria and virus
CYANIDE
Hydrocyanic Acid
• AKA Scheele's acid/ prussic acid
• Specific smell : Oil of bitter almond (perception of
smell is X- linked )
• Sources: Bitter almond, cherry, apricot, Plum,
apple, pear, etc
• Fatal dose: 50mg
Potassium ferricyanide
/Potassium forrocyanide
• Non toxic
• Toxic if
Potassium cyanide+ HCI(Stomach) →Hydrocyanic acid (toxic)
• Fatal dose: 200mg
• Used in metallurgy, photography, electroplating etc
Circumstances of Poisoning
• Homicide : Food/ War gas
• Suicide: Cyanide capsules by terrorist ,occupational
• Accidental
Routes of Absorption
• Respiratory system (acid)
• Stomach (Salt)
• Skin
Actions : Cyanide have high affinity for Fe3+
(present in cytochrome oxidase and Met Hb)
• Cytotoxic anoxia
• Partial Pressure O2 in artery and vein are equal
• maximum cytotoxic injury to brain/ heart
Signs/Symptoms:
• Mild concentration: Headache, vertigo, palpitation ,
weakness of legs
• High concentration: Throat constriction Giddiness,
confusion, decreased vision
• Very High concentration: Bradycardia/ Asystole,
Loss of conciousness, convulsions, loss of cornel
reflex, death due to Respiratory/ Cardiac arrest
Treatment :
• Sodium / Amyl Nitrite: Oxidise Hb (Fe2+) to Met Hb
(Fe3+)
• Sodium Thiosulphate : with Cyanomet Hb gives
Thiocyanate → excreted in urine
• Hydroxycobalamine : with cyanide gives
cyanocobalamin → excreted in urine (D.o. c)
LILLY KIT :consist of
Sodium Nitrite
Amyl Nitrite
Sodium Thiosulphate
Management:
• Removal of exposure
• Remove clothing
• Lilly's antidote
• hydroxy cobalamin
Postmortem findings
• Bright Red hypostasis (due to oxy hemoglobin and
cyanohemoglobin formation)
• Bitter almond smell
• stomach may smell of ammonia
• Diffuse red mucosa in stomach
Toxicology
Following can be sent for analysis
• Stomach and contents
• Intestinal contents
• Blood, urine, vomitus, larvage fluid
• Organs - Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Brain
• Remnants of suspected "food or drinks"
If death is due to inhalational cyanide
• Lungs should be sent in a sealed nylon bag
Thank You
