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Chemical weapons

On June 27th 1994 the Aum Shinriko cult drove to a residential area of Matsumoto and using a computer system remotely released a cloud of Sarin gas. Their targets were three judges that lived in the area, and they were using it as a trial run for an attack they were planning. 7 people died in the Matsumoto attack, and hundreds were sickened. Nine months later on March 20th 1995 five members of the cult boarded underground trains in Tokyo. They placed plastic bags of liquid Sarin on the floors, pierced them with sharpened umbrella tips and left the trains. As the liquid evaporated into gas people started feeling ill, stuck down with nausea and vomiting, uncontrollable trembling, foaming at the mouth and convulsions 13 people died and over 3800 were injured, hundreds of them permanently.

Aum Shinrikyo had business holdings worth an estimated $1.5bn including a plant able to manufacture chemical agents. There was evidence of experiments with Q fever, botulin toxins, Ebola and anthrax as well as Sarin.

Sarin like many chemical agents cripples the nervous system and causes a myriad of symptoms from those listed above to bleeding from the nose and mouth, paralysis, coma and death. In its liquid form the amount of liquid that can fit on a pinhead can kill an adult but considerably more is needed when it evaporates into gas.

Mustard gas was used extensively during WWl, and has been used since. Saddam Hussein was reputed to have used it against his own people, and it is believed that upto 100,000 US troops may have been exposed to it during the Gulf conflicts. Many doctors feel it is the cause of the illness known as Gulf war syndrome.

Unless you receive a large dose of mustard gas, which is also known as blister agent, you will not notice any immediate effects. Depending on the dose, at some point between a few hours to a couple of days red spots will appear on the skin, these will quickly turn into yellow blisters which are painful. If the agent has been inhaled blisters will form in the airways, on occasions closing them completely causing the victim to suffocate. In those that do not perish within a few days from massive exposure broncho-pneumonia usually results, causing death by secondary infection. Low dose exposure causes minor to moderate health issues over a protracted period of time, often years where respiratory tract linings have been damaged, or eyesight affected. Given the range of symptoms it is easy to see why many regard it as the cause of illness in soldiers returning from the Gulf. Eye irritation, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, repeated respiratory infections,fevers, recurrent fevers and blindness can all result from exposure to this agent.

Cyanide causes histotoxic hypoxia. It prevents the cells of a living organism from taking up and utilising the oxygen available to it. Cellular respiration ceases and organ shut down follows ending in complete respiratory arrest. Cyanide has several forms, but the three most common ones are hydrogen cyanide gas, and the crystalline forms, potassium and sodium cyanide. Exposure cause shortness of breath rapidly followed by seizure, coma and death.

VX is a nerve agent developed at Porton Down chemical weapons research centre, Wiltshire England in 1952. It is normally found in a liquid state. The film ‘The Rock’ starring Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage showed it as a green liquid in glass spheres. In actual fact it is an odourless amber coloured liquid. It’s not volatile, it’s odourless but it has excellent adhesive qualities and is all but impossible to remove from the item it has come into contact with. This makes it very viable as a strategic weapon. Should a military base be contaminated with VX the base is effectively out of use until the VX degrades, which takes a long time as it has an evaporation rate about the same as motor oil. It is absorbed through the skin, takes an hour or so to work and will see the victim drooling, sweating excessively and suffering eye pain and rapid breathing. This leads to paralysis, respiratory failure and death. In its gaseous form it kills rapidly, often without time for the symptoms to develop. The gas is heavier than air and if ever there were an alert regarding it the safest thing to do is get to high ground. If you were unfortunate enough to get VX liquid on you and it is on your clothes rather than your skin the CDC give the following advice “remove your clothes carefully by cutting them off and place in a plastic bag which should be sealed.” what I will say is don’t take clothes off over your head as inhaling any at all is a death sentence.

The antidote for VX poisoning is atropine. VX binds to enzymes in the body effectively cutting off the nervous system. Atropine removes it from the enzymes but to do so has be be injected directly into the heart, it won’t work any other way.

The USA, Russia and France are the only nations recorded as having VX in their possession. The UK gave theirs to the US in return for a thermonuclear device back in the fifties….no I am not kidding.

Mustard gas, sarin and cyanide is held by many countries including Syria and others in the Middle East. It’s to be hoped that they feel having them is a good enough deterrent and that using them would result in retaliatory action that would most likely lead us very quickly into global warfare.

NEWS REPORTS 24th July 2012 Report that Syria has stocks of VX and will use it’s chemical arsenal against external attackers. This is the first time I have found mention of Syria or any country other than the United States, Russia and France being mentioned as having supplies of VX. Anyone fancy a slice of false flag with breakfast?

Take care

14 comments to Chemical weapons

  • that makes me fill warm and fuzzy inside you should join lizzie you have alot to give think about it my friend

  • Hiya Barney

    I assume you mean join the forum?

    I never know what to say if I am honest. I have tried once or twice but chickened out lol

    I’ll get there in the end.

    Take care

  • Skean Dhude

    With some simple kit you can set up a lab and produce some of this stuff at home. Of course the slightest mistake and you are a lab rat.

    The biggest issue with all these types of weapons, including biological, is long term storage and the delivery system.

  • fred

    Before that they’d caused an earthquake in Western Australia.

  • Paul

    Practical Indications of a Chemical Release

    Signs of a chemical release can include smoke or a peculiar odour on the air like (but not limited to) Garlic, Mustard, Geraniums, Burnt almonds, Bleach, and Mown hay.
    Any IED release will probably seem weak, low yeald, and “smokey”.
    People may be having difficulty breathing, eye irritation, losing coordination, nausea, a burning sensation in the nose, throat and lungs. Any of these may be an indicator that an airborne agent is present.Also B.O.L.O. for of dead insects or birds.

    A list follows of the most common agents.

    1)Symptoms associated with the nerve gases SARIN or VX Gas (no odour).

    Headache, runny nose, salivation, pinpoint pupils, difficulty in breathing, tight chest, seizures, convulsions, nausea, and vomiting.

    First aid includes:- Remove from the area, treat with Atropine and pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM chloride), diazepam for seizure control

    2)Symptoms of blood agents Hydrogen Cyanide and Cyanogen Chloride (smells like burnt almonds).

    Cherry red skin/lips, rapid breathing, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, dilated pupils, excessive salivation, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, respiratory arrest.

    First aid includes:- Remove from the area, pure oxygen, administer a cyanide kit.

    3)Symptoms of blister agents Mustard gas (smells of mustard or garlic) and Lewisite (Geraniums).

    Red,burning skin, blisters, sore throat, dry cough, pulmonary edema, eye damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Symptoms may be delayed from 2 to 24 hrs.

    First aid includes:- Evacuate, wash with with copious water, remove contaminated clothing, support airway and breathing.

    4)Symptoms of choking agents Chlorine (smells like Bleach) and Phosgene gas (smells like mown hay).

    Eye and airway irritation, dizziness, tightness in chest, pulmonary edema, painful cough, nausea, and a headache.

    First aid includes:- Evacuate, remove contaminated clothing, pure oxygen, patient will need plenty of rest.

  • Paul that’s brilliant.

    It makes the article I wrote look like half an article.

    Can I use this if I credit it to you?

    Take care

    Lizzie

  • Paul

    Do as you will Lizzie. All information was found open source on the internet so away you go.
    As for credits, a cream cake would be nicer 🙂

  • Paul

    Home made or shop brought?. Thank you. I will update the article I wrote and add this to it…with credits. I will try and get it up in the morning

    Lizziexbennett.blogspot.com

    I am not advertising SD just letting Paul know where this will be.

    Take care

    • Skean Dhude

      Lizzie,

      The advertising is about people making a comment to sell a product and not adding any value to the thread. Your threads add value and I’m happy for you to promote your site on here. I’ll add it to the links for you now.

  • Northern Raider

    Historically you NBC buffs should be more afraid of Chlorine and Phosegene gases cos both can be made very easily at home by terrorists. VX, Tabun, Sarin are wicked but Chlorine and Phosgene as easy to make and use. Its that DIY NBC crap I fear most.

    • Saunders

      Indeed, however some slightly more potent pulmonary agents can be home made with limited equipment, chemicals and money such as Chloropicrin and Sulphur Decaflouride.

  • Northern Raider

    Agreed the home made stuff can be lethal and easy to make, certain under the sink chemicals I understand.

    The article wasn’t intended to imply I was fearful of these substances on a daily basis, just information regarding their existence.

    Nations however do use chemical weapons and this is also a matter of historical record.

    Take care

    • Northern Raider

      Dear Lady I do wish you would join us on the main forum, you do have much to contribute to our collective knowledge base. We dont bite y’know , OK we dont bite very often 🙂

  • Northern Raider

    Okay, I’ll get the little one to bed later and come and say hello.

    Take care