POISON GAS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1921, Page 4

POISON GAS

TREATMENT OF PATIENTS

DUNEDIN, June 3. Bijigadier-Geueral Sir Donald M’Gavin, Director-General of Medical Services, when recently in Dunedin was asked by a “Star” reporter about the now perceived effects of poison gas upon our soldiers and as to how the disabilities were wearing off. The following communication has just been received from Sir Donald :

“The effects of poison gas diminish with time. Any individual who is well after two years may l>e considered no more liable to disease than had he not been exposed. Mustard gas caused burns of the skin and irritation of the conjimotiva, resembling a bad cold in the eye. In.the great majority of cases these effects have been entirely cleared up without leaving any disability except, perhaps, a scarring of the skin. Permanent effect on the eye is very rare, although the irritation caused by the gas attracted the patient’s attention to his eyes, and frequently errors of refraction, which had been present before, were attributed by the patient to the effects of the gas.

“More serious effects were produced by gas upon the action of the heart, either by acting on the muscle of the heart or through the nerves which control its action. These cases constituted a number of those dsecribed as D.A.H. (disordered action of the heart). In those cases in which the heart muscle is affected great benefit has resulted from graduated exercises. Otlieis benefited greatly, and a large number quite recovered, by treatment at Hanniei. Where patients may suffer from palpitation on slight exertion or efnotion, rapid breathing and shortness of breath, it, is often difficult to persuade them that the symptoms are due to the nervous condition and not to organic disease of the heart. “In some eases mustard gas poisoning irritation extended to the bronchial tubes, and even to the tissues of the lung. Tn a certain small proportion of eases this irritation, by weakening the resistance of the tissues, lias no doubt rendered the soil suitable for the growth ol the tubercle bacillus. It appears, however, that more often gas hos, by irritation of the lung tissue, lighted up an old focus of tubercular infection. Cases of T.B. lung which can bo attributed to gassing appear to be relatively few. In this connection distinction must he made between those who were gassed and those who merely smelt gas and suffered slight and rapidly passing inconvenience from it. At certain times when the enemy sent over a large number of gas shells in parts of the front the locality would smell of gas for many days together. Gas would hang about in woods and in low-lying paits for a long time. This was the case m l’loegsteert Wood before and after the battle of Messines. “The test of whether a man had been actually gassed was the necessity of his admission to the medical unit in the field for the effects of gns. Accurate records of all admissions to these units were kept in the field.”