U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense

Medical Management of Chemical Casualties, MMCC Supplemental Training Materials v.3.00 (DVD). U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD (January) 2002. 

Two research programs (science and technology base) remain under USAMRMC, one for medical chemical defense and the other for medical biological defense. USAMRMC exercises its responsibility for these programs through the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense for chemical warfare defense and USAMRllD for biological warfare defense (Parker interview, 2001). 

U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, 361-368 1993. 

Sciuto, A. M., Moran, T. S., Narula, A., Forster, J. S., Romano, J. A., Jr. (2001). Disruption of gas exchangefollowing exposure to the chemical threat agent phosgene Implications for human performance (Rep. No. USAMRICD TR-01-06). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense. 

Schiflett, S. G., Stranges, S. F., Slater, T., Jackson, M. K. (1987). Interactive effects of pyridostigmine and altitude on performance. In Proceedings of the 6th Medical Chemical Defense Bioscience Review (pp. 605-607). Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense. (DTIC No. AD-B121 516)... 

The opinions expressed in this review are those of the authors and should not be construed as those advocated by the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense or statements of policy of the U.S. Army or the U.S. Department of Defense. Douglas M. Cerasoli was supported by a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship. 

Studies at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense are thus far consistent with the proposal that, with the exception of activation of hexose monophosphate shunt (Martens, 1994), this biochemical cascade may contribute to blister formation. In addition, however, the process would appear to require an active inflammatory response and altered fluid dynamics in the affected tissue to generate the very large blisters seen after sulfur mustard exposure. 

Until definitive medical therapeutics for sulfur mustard are fielded, the medical caregivers will have to rely on symptomatic treatments and sound medical judgments. Historically derived treatments, as presented in the Textbook of Military Medicine (Sidell et al., 1997) and the Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook (1999) prepared by the Chemical Casualty Care Division of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, can also be of assistance. 

The U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense has developed an enzyme-immobilized polyurethane sponge that can absorb chemical threat agents that can then be destroyed by enzymatic activity. These polyurethane sponges have been found to have excellent adsorption properties related to organophosphorous vapors (Lukey et al. 2004). 

Analytical Methods. There are few references to the analysis of BZ in humans. BZ is used frequently by neuropharmacologists as a marker, but these methods are often not quantitative. In 1988, the United States began work on demilitarization of BZ stockpiles. As part of that work, a method was developed in collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD for purposes of monitoring workers. That method was based on GC-MS of the TMS derivatives and monitored aU three analytes (BZ, BA, and Q). Detection Emits were 0.5 ng/mL for BZ and 5 ng/mL for the hydrolysis products (Byrd et al., 1992). 

FIGURE 24.2 Representative diagram of a casualty treatment site. (From U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Chemical Casualty Care Division, June 2001.) Hot Line= possible hquid contamination downwind (left side of line), negative liquid contamination upwind (right side of line). N.B. Possible positive vapor present on either side of hot line. VCL — vapor-control line possible positive vapor on downwind side of line (left side of line), negative vapor on upwind side of line (right side of line). EMT, emergency medical treatment MTF, medical treatment facility. 

Schons, M., Shutz, M., Skvorak, K., Sweensy, R. and Brozetti, J. (2002), Corticosteroids offer protection against sulfur mustard induced ocular injury, presented at Bioscience Review 2002, Hunt Valley, Maryland, June 2-7, 2002, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, p. 272. 

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