An atlas of gas poisoning

by Great Britain. Medical Research Committee

EN·~31 minutes·17 chapters

Chapters

17 total

Transcriber’s Note:

9:35

PLATE NO. I Microscopic section of human lung from phosgene shell poisoning. Death at the nineteenth hour after gassing.

2:07

PLATE NO. II Blue type of asphyxia from phosgene poisoning, with intense venous congestion.

1:21

PLATE NO. III Pallid type of asphyxia from phosgene poisoning, with circulatory failure.

1:32

PLATE NO. IV Gangrene of foot caused by vascular thrombosis from chlorine poisoning.

1:58

PLATE NO. V Erythema of skin from general exposure to the vapour of yellow cross substance. Dermatitis of this distribution and associated with conjunctivitis forms a characteristic picture of poisoning by this vesicant.

2:20

PLATE NO. VI Blistering of buttocks by mustard gas.

1:43

PLATE NO. VII Burning of scrotum and penis by mustard gas.

1:04

PLATE NO. VIII Brown staining from mustard gas.

0:44

PLATE NO. IX Ulceration of trachea by mustard gas.

1:52

Description

This atlas presents detailed medical illustrations and explanations of the effects of two primary chemical weapons used in WWI—phosgene and mustard gas. Compiled by the Medical Research Committee in 1918, the volume was created to educate officers unfamiliar with chemical warfare, offering concise pathology, symptoms, and early‑stage treatment guidance. The drawings, reproduced with official sanction, focus on the hallmark lesions in lungs and other organs caused by these irritant gases.

Readers will find clear descriptions of how phosgene attacks the respiratory system, leading to fluid‑filled alveoli, impaired oxygen exchange, and rapid onset of life‑threatening edema. Complementary notes on mustard‑gas exposure outline its blistering action on skin and mucous membranes, as well as longer‑term complications. Though intended as a wartime manual, the atlas remains a fascinating glimpse into early 20th‑century medical responses to chemical weapons.