POISON GAS IN THE GREAT WAR
The use of poison gas in World War I was a major military innovation. The gases commonly used included disabling chemicals such as tear gas, blistering agents such as mustard gas and lethal asphyxiants such as phosgene and chlorine. Mustard gas in particular was designed to pollute the battlefield and would permeate the soil where it remained active for days, weeks or even months depending on weather conditions. This made mustard gas a preferred choice for use against wooded areas, billeting spaces, gun emplacements and all points of cover. Gas was everywhere, in clothing, food and water. It corroded flesh, internal organs and even steel armaments. The smells of the different chemicals were pervasive. Repeatedly saturating an area with low vapor concentrations over prolonged periods of time ensured that the toxic environment would eventually create casualties on its own.
While the killing capacity of gas was limited (approximately only 4% of combat deaths were due to gas), the proportion of non-fatal casualties was very high. Different types of chemicals were often mixed together to achieve a greater combined effect. Additionally, gas shells would be used in conjunction with high explosive shells during artillery barrages. The high explosives would force enemy troops to seek shelter where the gas vapors would then settle and contaminate them: Since gas was heavier than air, it was denser near the ground and affected the wounded and those seeking shelter in earthworks the most.
Approximately 27% of all AEF combat casualties (including both dead and wounded) were caused by gas. Likewise, a considerable 31% of all AEF wounded were treated in hospitals for gas injuries. During the course of American involvement in the Great War, the number of gas wounded became so great that one field hospital in four per division (25% of total hospital resources) were dedicated to treating the victims of gas.
Based on Sam Avery’s writings, it appears that he was injured by gas poisoning at the end of the Aisne-Marne Offensive in July, 1918. Ingestion of food and water contaminated by gas was a frequent route of exposure, and this seems possible in Sam’s case given the delayed onset of symptoms and toxic shock that he experienced. What specific chemicals were involved is not known. One new German concoction known as dichloroethylsulphide was introduced to battlefield use at that time which was toxic in concentrations that could not be detected by smell, the person affected suffered no immediate discomfort at time of exposure, and symptoms did not develop until hours later. Symptoms from mustard and phosgene contamination could also take up to 24 hours or more to develop, with the common occurrence that troops initially exposed were not incapacitated until the following day.
THE MEDICAL SERVICE
U.S. Army Ambulance, 1918
The Medical Department processed combat gas casualties using procedures similar to those used for the sick and wounded; soldiers were littered to dressing stations, sent in an ambulance to a triage or evacuation hospital, then on to a base hospital. After they had sufficiently recovered, they were then sent to a convalescent area pending return to the front. Whenever possible, gas casualties always rode to avoid exertion which would worsen their condition and were sent to a specific hospital designated to handle gas cases. During the Aisne-Marne Offensive, 26th Division Field Hospitals No. 101 & 104 were established together in a large school building at Luzancy to care for the slightly wounded, gassed and sick. Here the gassed cases received only preliminary treatment and were triaged by the division medical officer.
Chateau Montanglaust
The severely gassed were then evacuated as soon as possible by ambulance or truck to Evacuation Hospital No. 7 at Chateau Montanglaust in Joue-les-Tours which had a total capacity of 1,100 beds and good facilities for evacuating patients by train to base hospitals further in the rear.
Outside AEF Hospital Train, 1918
Inside AEF Hospital Train, 1918
After admission to the hospital, gassed patients stripped off all clothing and showered. Those with serious symptoms were bathed while still lying on stretchers. After leaving the showers, medics sprayed their eyes, noses and throats with bicarbonate of soda to mitigate corrosion of the mucous membranes. Depending on the diagnosis, patients were also given treatments of oxygen and venesection (bleeding) to counteract the effects of inhaled gas. Those who had ingested gas with contaminated food or water were prescribed olive or castor oil to coat irritated stomach linings.
From the time he left the front in an ambulance at the end of July until his return to duty in early October of 1918, Sam Avery was moved through a series of field, evacuation and base hospitals. It was the first time Sam had been away from the front in 6 months since first entering the lines in February. Ever-optimistic that his ”casual” assignment to medical care would be only a short one, Sam would discover that the gassing he had recieved would require a longer convalescence of about 2 months. Like many others, Sam would also be bothered by its lingering effects for the rest of his life.
Although he did not know it at the time, Sam’s extended hospitalization during the Saint Mihiel Offensive may have quite possibly saved him from being more seriously wounded or even killed, given the heavy casualties sustained by the 103rd Infantry in fierce fighting at Marcheville, Riaville and Champlon during late September…
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