United States lewisite, manufacturing

A research team headed by U.S. Army Captain W.L. Lewis is generally credited with the synthesis of Lewisite in 1918, although German scientists had studied this material earlier (Lewis and Stiegler, 1925 Prentiss, 1937 Buscher and Conway, 1944 Harris and Paxman, 1982 Trammel, 1992). Large quantities were manufactured and shipped by the United States for use on the European battleheld however. World War 1 ended while the shipment was at sea and the vessel was sunken (Prentiss, 1937 Trammel, 1992). 

Other arsenicals were also evaluated by both sides during the war. Lewisite, the best known of these, was developed by the United States as a quick acting vesicant, but the war ended before it was actually used in combat. It was subsequently also manufactured by others, and is still stockpiled by Russia and (in small amount) the United States. However, reevaluation suggests that it may have been overrated as an agent. Also,... 

A second group of vesicants is the arsenicals. The major compound in this group is Lewisite. It was synthesized and developed in the United States during the late stages of World War I1 and was manufactured for battlefield use. The shipment of Lewisite was on its way to Europe when the war ended, so it was destroyed at sea. There are no data on Lewisite from battlefield use. Lewisite has some advantages and disadvantages over mustard that are discussed later in this chapter. 

Almost all proliferant states since World War I have manufactured vesicants, principally sulfur mustard, bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide. There are several routes to this compound, none of which require sophisticated technology and/or special materials Virtually all those producing mustard have experienced a large number of industrial accidents resulting in casualties from mustard burns. Nitrogen mustards have been synthesized only in pilot plant quantities, but did not require any unusual processes or materials. Lewisite was produced by both the United States and the Soviet Union during World War II. The plants were quite small and unsophisticated by today s standards. Lewisite is an arsenical and as such would require unusually large amounts of arsenates in its production. 

Minute quantities of sulfur mustard are used by various military and contract laboratories for defense research purposes, and for verification of Chemical Weapons Convention compliance. Bulk quantities of sulfur mustard are no longer manufactured in the United States. Military stockpiles of sulfur mustard are awaiting destruction or are in ffie process of being destroyed. Some sulfur mustard may also be found buried or abandoned at former defense sites. Sulfur mustard was frequently loaded into artillery shells and aerial bombs (often with lewisite). Various quantities of sulfur mustard also exist in other countries. Large amounts of sulfur mustard have been disposed of at sea. 

Jones, Chemical Warfare Research during World War I, 176-79. The Story of the Development Division, Chemical Warfare Service, 180-82, gives a brief overview of the Development Division, which used General Electric facilities. (The report notes incorrectly that Lewisite was dubbed G-34, which was actually the code name for mustard gas. To fool the potential spies. Lewisite and related chlorarsines were new G-34, PI, and P2. Chlorpicrin was SI phosgene L3.) The CWS also began construction on another plant for Lewisite (diphenylchloroarsine) in Croyland, Peimsylvania. Crowell, America s Munitions, 399 McPherson, Report of the Director of Outside Plants, pp. 3-A, NARA, RG 175, entry 8, box 14. Harry M. St. John, Standard Methods for the Manufacture of New G-34, Development Division, Chemical Warfare Service, United States Army, Nela Park, Cleveland, Ohio, approved by F. M. Dorsey, March 29, 1919, a copy of which is held at the U S. Army Military History Institute,... 

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