POISON GAS CAMP

Hokitika Guardian, 18 January 1930, Page 8

POISON GAS CAMP

EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS. A description of what he terms “A Poison Gas Camp,” is given by ~a correspondent of the ‘‘Sunday Dispatch,’ who writes from “Somewhere in Wilt shire.” He says : Amid the silent, chalk hills I have just inspected a seemingly innocent cluster of buildings which are dedicat r-d to the most deadly and most seerei development of modern warfare—poi son gas. lam no spy. I adopted m disguise j my chin is free from falsi beard. Yet I have succeeded in reaching a War Office department hidden deep in the innocent countryside, with out being arrested by grim military police. Before I set out on my mission from the wayside railway station for this isolated spot. I inquired the way Jovial yokels, who know much about farm work, looked solemn at my questions. To them, there was something eerie about my destination. “Some call its the slaughter ’ousel” said one sucking solemnly at his pipe. Others admitted that they had seen animals including goats and monkeys—go into the confines of the secret station and they wondered that none returned, “ft might be a big farm by the looks of it,” said another. “It certainly admits stock, but none is sent out!”

When, in Parliament recently, the Secretary of State for War was asked whether experiments on living animals were still being carried out at the chemical warfare experimental station at with the object of testing the efficacy of poison gas, the following answer was given:—

“These experiments with animals have been carried on for many years at the chemical warfare experimental station—and 1 am advised that they are essential in order to obtain the necessary data for ensuring adequate defence against poison gases and for evolving efficient methods of treating human beings who become gas casualties.”

Others have set the pace, and so it is necessary for Britain to organise science in its aid to checkmate the activities of any possible enemies Hence this secret place I have just visited. The work done here has benefited thousands who were victims of the most deadly development of science in the Great War ;here the effects of deadly gases have been studied and lines of treatment worked out. Several acres are covered by the scattered building, which are linked to the stopping places of the railway expresses by a narrow gauge light railway.

There is a big civilian staff connected with this station, which is also in close touch with scientists at the British Universities. Moreover, it is not only the concern of the War Office. Gas is a menance to the Air Force and the Navy, too, and so their experts are also in close touch with the work that goes on here amid the silent hills. The cluster of buildings does not a rouse attention. One structure, however, might inspire an inquiry. There is to he seen from the outside a contrivance that looks like a small gasometer.

Those who live near this place will tell you that a large menagerie is main tained. During the war it was known as“ Zoo’. In the zoo there were goats, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, and snakes and monkeys. Thor stay there was in direct support of the British soldiers at the front,

Quite unostentatiously there appeal's in the Army List a subtitle “Chemical Warfare Committee.” A colonel is given as the president, and the members include three professors. The civilian staff is not mentioned in detail. But there is a footnote stating—

“Representatives of various Department of the Admiralty, the War Office, and the Air Ministry also serve on the committee as ex officio members and ex officio association members together with 72 civilian scientific associate members.”

Other publications give details concerning the place. Parliament is given , the cost of upkeep every year. Last year the total cost was given as £98,000 (or nearly £2OOO a week as against £IOO,OOO the previous year.