Poisonous Gases In Ww1

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There were many poisonous gases that played a role in World War I including the tear gas, chlorine, and mustard gas. The first chemical weapon in history was used by the French in 1914 against German forces. This poisonous gas is known as the tear gas. The fruity smell of this colorless gas was pleasant and drew soldiers curious. Some common symptoms of this gas were the irritation of eyes, mouth, throat, and lungs. Though this gas was not used to kill soldiers, it did not allow the enemy to defend themselves because of the discomfort caused from this gas. There were zero casualties from this specific gas because symptoms stopped about 30 minutes after leaving the affected area. Another commonly used gas during World War I was chlorine. This yellow and green gas was a bit more noticeable with a distinct bleach like odor. Many soldiers described the odor as a mix of pineapple and pepper. Chlorine reacted solely with water in the lungs which caused coughing, vomiting, and irritation of the eyes. The first time this gas was used was in 1915 by German forces at the Battle of Ypres. This use caused 5,000 casualties but not many more after that. After the first attack with this gas, soldiers began using gas masks which stopped the gas from…show more content…
When used in war, this gas was yellowish-brown with a smell of garlic and horseradish. When not used in war, the mustard gas was colorless and odorless though. The mortality rate of this gas was about 2-3% but this gas caused men to need extensive care which kept them from returning to the front. In the long run, this gas also gave people a higher chance of getting cancer after being exposed. This irritant, which caused blisters, damaged the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract. Mustard gas also causes chemical burns which can lead to cell death. This deadly gas was first introduced in war in 1917 by German forces against British troops in the battle of
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