What medicine was used in World War 2?

Answer 1

Blood agents (poisons the enzyme cytochrome oxidase thus blocking the transfer of oxygen to the cells): Hydrogen Cyanide (AC, inhaled agent, a mask is only protection needed, smells like almonds, and non-persistant, quick acting casualty agent) Light Symptoms: Irrationability, alter reflexes, coma and/or convulsions, and lack of oxygen, damage to central nervous system. Will completely recover with time. Medium symptoms: dizziness, nausia, headaches, convulsion and/or death. Heavy symptoms: Deep rapid breathing, violent convulsion after 20 to 30 seconds, stop breathing after 1 minute, heart stops within 2 minutes, then you die. Blister agents (inflames and generally destroys tissues, very effective against eyes, mucus membranes, respiratory tract, and other moist areas): Mustard Gas (H, contact agent, full body plus mask protection needed, smells like sulfur, persistant, delayed acting casualty causing agents) Symptoms: irritation to moist areas (eyes, tissues, respiratory, etc.) First Phase (4-6 hours after contact): latent. Second Phase: Erythema Phase, reddening of skin and general itchiness. Third Phase: Vessication Phase, 12-24 hours after contact, severe blistering begins. Final Phase: Necrosis Phase, tissues decay and die, so do you, generally. If you survive a blister agent attack, you will be horribly scarred and dibilitated for the rest of your life. Choking agents (attacks nose throat and lungs to cause pulmonary edema (dry land drowning): Phosgene (CG, inhaled agent, a mask is only protection needed, smells like fresh cut grass, only effects the lungs and damages small blood vessels causing them to burst which results in anoxia/pulmonary edema, non-persistant, will sit in low areas like crater, trenches, foxholes, etc., quick casualty causing agent) Symptoms in low concentrations my take 3-4 hours to show up and are immediate in high concentrations. Symptoms: begin to cough and wheeze violently as blood vessels in lung burst which causes you to die. People that survive suffer greatly deminished lung function forever.

Answer 2

I don't know where I got this from, it might be apocryphal: Pennicillin halved the casualties in WW2, that is there would have been twice as many dead but for its discovery. Can anyone medically trained offer a view on this ?

Answer 3

Chlorine gas was used. It was very deadly because once you breath it in you need water-- but if you have water you will die instantly because of a chemical reaction that takes place with the gas mixture and the water.

Mustard gas was also used. It resulted in yellow mustard-like swells on the body, and eventually death.

Answer 4

Yes there was

Morphine was one of the major drugs given for pain and because of the vast usage of the drug it was realized it was addicting. Soon after W1 Congress began to pass drug laws and making particular types of drugs illegal.

Answer 5

The sulfa drugs, or sulfonamides (especially sulphanilamide) were the most widely used to treat or prevent bacterial infections.

Answer 6

paracetemal, ibruofen, calpol, apples, cinnemen sticks, methane, ethonal, cannabis, morphine.

Answer 7

Morphine and some salicylide (aspirin-like) compounds were about all they had in World War I. But for combat wounds, morphine was the big one, and continued in that role in Word War II.

Answer 8

Antibiotics

Answer 9

vaccines