THE MORE COMMON GASES; THEIR EFFECT ON THE RESPIRATORY TRACT

Abstract

Recent medical literature, both domestic and foreign, relative to the effect on the respiratory system of the various gases employed as part and parcel of the chemical warfare in the war has been rather meager. Especially is there a scarcity of information regarding a study of gas cases in their chronic stage. With the aid of a bibliography from the surgeon-general's library, we have combed over carefully foreign and domestic relative matter, and were able to find comparatively little. It is with a degree of temerity and hesitancy, therefore, that this (pioneer) work is undertaken. I experience a certain amount of moral courage, however, in confining myself solely to observations and clinical findings, and in avoiding conclusions. The clinical data embodied in this paper are based on the observation of about two thousand cases studied in the capacity of review examiner on the medical examining board at Camp Grant, Ill.