GAS IN WAR-TIME

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 June 1938, Page 8

GAS IN WAR-TIME

“DEFENCE AHEAD OP OFFENCE.” LONDON, April 13. Reassuring statements about gas attacks on Britain 1 in the event of war are made by Professor James Kendall, who is Professor of Chemistry at Edinburgh University, in his> book, “Breathe Freely,’’ published to-day. Declaring that, despite 20 years’ researches, it is doubtful whether the number of effective war gases has significantly increased. Prof. Kendall writes:

"Defence has so far outstripped of-

fence that it is not going too far to state that in the event of poison gases being used, on however large a scale, against properly equipped and disciplined troops in a futuer war, the only significant casualties will be among men who have been taken by surprise and have not had time to adjust then-gas-masks.” lie believes it. improbable, that the use of poison gases would be resumed by belligerents should another European war break out, and gives the following facts; — Out of the hundreds' of thousands of chemical compounds' known in 1918, only 38 actually reached the stage of use in the lield as poison gases, and many of these proved to be either of no good at all or of very little value.

It is most unlikely that any new poison gases have been discovered since' the war that are' markedly su- > pe'rior to phosgene' as tin offensive weapon or to mustard gas l als a defensive weapon. Prof. Kendall agrees that Lewisite deserves consideration as a possible substitute for mustard gas. The first supplies of this gas were ready for shipment when the Armistice intervened, and they were dumped into the sea. Lewisite, however, is certainly not the super-gas that the alarmists try to make out. “When anyone 1 tells you that a new poison gas' hats been discovered that will pass without hindrance through the' modern gas-mask you can be 100 per cent, certain that he is ! wrong,” the profefesor adds. Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd, Und'er-Secretary to tile Home Office, stood in a room in a house yesterday and looked out of the windows, unharmed, while a heavy concentration of chlorine' poison gas wals directed against, the building. Although the gas was much more, deadly than would: be experienced with any known gas bomb, Mr. Lloyd, who was not even wearing a mask, smelled nothing. The room had been gas-proofed according to the simple l instructions' that have been recommended by the Home Office. Doors, windows, ventilator's and the fireplace were all protected with' paper. This demonlstration was held at the Government’s civilian! anti-gas' school at Hawkhills, Easingwold, Yorks. “I did not smell a whiff,” said Mr. Lloyd: “That show’s the value of gas proofing, and it can be done with household appliances costing onlv a. few pence.”