Guides for Emergency Response Biological Agent or Weapon Botulism

History The secret was released some time after World War II when it became apparent that British forces provided a grenade specially concocted with botulinal toxins to kill Reinhard Heydrich, the much feared head of the Nazi Security Service, better known as the SD. After the successful killing in the Prague, Czechoslovakia, the stunned Germans shot and burned the town of Lidice (where free-Czechs from Britain had been parachuted in kill Heydrich), and arrested an estimated 10,000 Czechs. [Pg.133]

Botulism is thought to be one of the most deadly known toxins in the modern world it is able to kill an average adult with an estimated tiny dose. Botulism can also be turned into [Pg.133]

Probable Form of Dissemination Sabotage of food/water supply or aerosol. [Pg.134]

Differential Diagnosis With single cases, rather than clearly epidemic cases, the illness could be confused with Guillain-Barre syndrome, myasthenia gravis, or tick paralysis. Other possible considerations may include enteroviral infections, as well as nerve agent and atropine poisoning. [Pg.134]

Personal Protection Protective clothing must be used as well as protection for the respiratory tract by using a mask with biological filters or self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with positive pressure, at least until you the know the specific threats. [Pg.135]

Big Chemical Encyclopedia