The Effects of Mustard Gas
NYC.gov, has listed on its website not only the symptoms, but also what is to be expected to happen when exposed to Mustard Gas.
Symptoms:
"People may not know right away that they have been exposed to sulfur mustard. Depending on the amount of the exposure, signs and symptoms may take 2-24 hours to appear. Some people may have symptoms sooner.
Specific effects of exposure include:
Specific effects of exposure include:
- Skin: Redness and itching may occur 2-8 hours after exposure; yellow blistering of affected skin may appear later.
- Eyes: Irritation, pain, swelling, and tearing may occur within 3-12 hours. A more severe exposure may cause symptoms within 1-2 hours and may also include light sensitivity, severe pain, or blindness (lasting up to 10 days).
- Respiratory tract: Runny nose, sneezing, hoarseness, bloody nose, sinus pain, shortness of breath, and cough may occur within 12-24 hours of a mild exposure and within 2-4 hours of a severe exposure.
- Digestive tract: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting may occur."
Expected Health Issues:
"Contact with sulfur mustard can cause bodily injury. The
extent of injury depends on the amount you are exposed to, how long you are
exposed, and how you come in contact.
- Exposure to sulfur mustard gas is usually not deadly. When sulfur mustard was used during World War I, it killed fewer than 5% of the people who were exposed and got medical care.
- Exposure to liquid sulfur mustard can cause second- and third-degree skin burns. It can be particularly harmful to sweaty body parts, such as the underarm area. Exposure may also cause skin blisters within a few days. Extensive skin burning can be fatal.
- Exposure to sulfur mustard can make the eyes burn and eyelids swell, or make a person blink a lot. Extensive eye exposure can cause permanent blindness.
- Breathing sulfur mustard's can cause coughing, bronchitis, and other breathing symptoms. Exposure to very high levels can cause long-term respiratory disease or death.
- Sulfur mustard may cause cancer in the airways, lungs, skin, and maybe other areas of the body years after exposure. It is not known if sulfur mustard can affect people's ability to reproduce."