Slow Burn: Facts About Mustard Gas

[decaro]

from MHN:

"TO THE MILLIONS OF MEN FIGHTING IN FLANDERS in 1917, it would be hard to imagine how the horror of trench warfare could be made any worse. But worse it would get, thanks to the introduction that year of a new and deadly chemical weapon.

"On July 12, German gunners lobbed more than 50,000 artillery shells containing an experimental poison gas into the British and Canadian lines near Ypres. Unlike widely used chlorine or phosgene, which attacked the eyes and lungs, this new terror burned its victims bodies both inside and out. It would soon become known in the trenches as mustard gas.

"At first, those in the path of the unfamiliar and faintly yellow vapour had little idea they were even in danger. But within hours, the gas’ lethal effects would be all too obvious...."

http://militaryhistorynow.com/2014/02/1 ... stard-gas/

"... After World War Two, medical researchers who were aware of sulfur mustard’s cell-destroying properties fashioned the first cancer-fighting chemotherapy treatments from mustard gas. Yet, these limited benefits hardly outweigh the weapon’s legacy of horror."

[Jagdtiger14]

There are reports that mustard gas has been used in the Syrian civil war.

BTW: I would say the Corsair was the best prop plane of WWII...

[Orm]

Thank you for sharing. [:)]