Davis K G, Aspera G
US Army Health Clinic, Pine Bluff Arsenal, Pine Bluff, AR, USA.
Ann Emerg Med. 2001 Jun;37(6):653-6. doi: 10.1067/mem.2001.114322.
Chemical weapons continue to pose a serious threat to humanity. With the use of chemical weapons by terrorists in Tokyo, and the projected disarming of the chemical weapon stockpile in this country, the possibility that emergency physicians will encounter patients contaminated by chemical munitions, such as sulfur mustard, exists. Mustard is a vesicating agent with a long latency between exposure and symptoms. Exposure can cause burns, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, and death. We describe 3 workers exposed to mustard at a chemical weapon storage facility. This article reports the first case of an exposure to mustard at a storage facility, as well as the first documented incident occurring in the United States. All physicians who manage patients in an acute care setting should be aware of the presentation and emergency treatments involving patients contaminated with mustard.
化学武器继续对人类构成严重威胁。随着恐怖分子在东京使用化学武器，以及预计该国化学武器库存的解除武装，急诊医生有可能会遇到被化学弹药如芥子气污染的患者。芥子气是一种起疱剂，接触与症状出现之间的潜伏期很长。接触可导致烧伤、结膜炎、肺炎和死亡。我们描述了3名在化学武器储存设施中接触芥子气的工人。本文报告了首例在储存设施接触芥子气的病例，也是美国有记录的首例此类事件。所有在急症护理环境中治疗患者的医生都应了解芥子气污染患者的临床表现和急救处理方法。
