Military chemical threats management

The basic threat to and management principles for chemical casualties have not changed since World War I. To survive and to accomplish the mission on the chemical battlefield, medical care providers must be able to respond quickly and effectively. Soldiers must be trained in first-aid procedures. Decontamination procedures must be practiced. And medical care providers must know how to perform their mission in a chemical environment. Continued, careful attention to each of these requirements will significantly reduce the chemical threat to our military personnel. 

Mustard gas was developed as a chemical warfare agent more than eighty years ago. Despite intensive study, little advancement in the management of skin burns has been made. The use of mustard in military conflicts and by terrorists remains a significant threat that if realized in practice would result in a large number of casualties with severely incapacitating, partialthickness burns. Such injuries clearly present a huge potential wound-care problem. 

A variety of chemical agents were used as toxic inhalants during World War I of these, several are considered current threats. Some toxicants have current military relevance either because of their presence in stockpiles or because of their current or recent use in military operations in other countries. Other toxicants exist in large quantities as a result of their industrial use. Because of the military s preparedness in managing large-scale exposure to toxicants, such as poisonous gases, military assistance may be required in the event of a major accident involving toxic inhalants. 

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