Mustard gas
The first use
The first time that mustard gas was used was in 1917 by the German army. Out of all the gasses that were used in WWI mustard gas was the most deadly. It had almost no smell and took twelve hours to have a full effect on its victims. This gas was so powerful that only a small amount was needed to be effective. Once these shells hit the ground the gas would stay there for weeks.
The creation
Mustard gas is part of a family called the sulfur mustards, this is a group of cytotoxic chemical warfare agents. In their pure form the sulfur mustards are odorless, colorless, scentless liquids. But when this group is used as a warfare agent they usually turn into a mustard colored gas, they also somewhat have a smell of mustard and garlic. In 1860 mustard gas was invented by Fredrick Gunthrie. Two people named Lommel and Steinkopf invented a way for the German company Bayer AG to start mass producing mustard gas. Now the sulfur mustards are under control by the 1993 chemical weapons convention. Three of the sulfur mustards are classified as schedule one most deadly gasses.
Mustard gas was one of the most deadly gasses used in ww1. There are a lot of noticeable effects at first exposure, however, the full effect of mustard gas takes twelve hours. Right after contact the skin of victims blisters, their eyes become sore, and they begin to vomit. Mustard gas also effects the mucus membrane and the bronchial tubes. The irritation of the bronchial tubes often resulted in pneumonia. A nurse, Vera Brittain, wrote about mustard gas in her autobiography. She said "I wish those people who talk about going on with this war whatever it costs could see the soldiers suffering from mustard gas poisoning. Great mustard-colored blisters, blind eyes, all sticky and stuck together, always fighting for breath, with voices a mere whisper, saying that their throats are closing and that they know they will choke." Mustard gas remains in the ground for a couple days. Although it is only fatal in large doses you can see that it is very painful.