Mustard Gas Essay

2123 Words9 Pages
Thesis Statement and Outline: The continued use of mustard agents in warfare situations for nearly one hundred years signifies it as the best and most consistent agent for battlefield use. I. Introduction of mustard agents A. What are mustard agents B. Effects of mustard agents C. Protection against mustard agents II. Mustard agents compared to other agents used on the battlefield A. Choking agents B. Nerve agents C. Other blister agents III. Use of mustard agents in war A. WW I B. WWII and Italian-Ethiopian War C. The Yemen Civil War and The Iran-Iraq war IV. Conclusion A man named Frederick Guthrie in 1860 first synthesized mustard gas. During his research, he reacted ethylene with (chlorine) CL2, and noticed the toxic effects it had on his own skin. Mustard agents are potentially deadly chemical agents that attack the skin and eyes—and one of the best known and most potent chemical weapons. Other names for mustard are H, sulfur mustard, and nitrogen mustard, which are used in the chemotherapy treatment of cancer patients. The name mustard gas is more widely used. Because of the impure quality of the agent, it is said to have an odor similar to that of mustard, garlic, or horseradish. When the mustard agent is in pure form, it is both odorless and colorless. Since mustard is a vesicant or blister agent, it can cause severe blistering of the skin, tissue damage, and if inhaled damage to the lungs and other vital organs. Mustard gas also attacks a cell’s DNA, so it can cause cancer and birth defects. In addition, mustard also damages the eyes and airways by topical contact and the gastrointestinal tract and bone marrow after absorption. In the eyes, blindness can occur during prolonged exposure. Mustard contaminates everything it touches, and with a low volatility
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