Miss Julia Stimson (later to become Chief of the Army Nurse Corps) described the phenomenon: “We have been receiving patients that have been gassed and burned in a most mysterious way … they had burns on their bodies, on parts that are covered with clothing.” 4
3 The decontamination process required that soldiers were stripped of their uniforms, bathed and given new clothing to wear before they were brought to the hospital for treatment. Once combatants were exposed to the agent, they needed immediate decontamination or within 30 minutes of exposure, huge blisters would spot their entire bodies. It is not surprising that mustard caused the largest number of chemical casualties in the war, and earned the sad title of the “King of Battle Gasses.” 2 Thus, after battles were concluded, even when the soldiers rested, ate food or slept, mustard gas remained dangerous. While true gases such as chlorine and phosgene dissipated over several hours, this agent (actually a liquid, dispersed in droplet or aerosol form) remains active for up to 25 to 30 years1 and causes rapid injury in contact with skin, even through clothing. Mustard “gas,” particularly, was difficult to manage because of its characteristics and long life cycle. When the United States entered the World War in April 1917, American forces were ill-prepared to confront the horrors of chemical warfare.