Description
Object description
Description and assessment of chemical warfare trials held on Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) volunteers at the Australian Field Experimental Station at Innisfail, Queensland, to measure the disabling effects (mainly blisters) of mustard gas, used as a vesicant (blistering agent) in tropical conditions. Commentary includes findings from CBS Report No 42 "The Assessment of Casualties from Vesicant Agents".
Full description
Opening titles pay tribute to the fullest cooperation of the volunteers: "special mention must be made of the cheerfulness and fortitude of all those who have taken part in this work since it commenced in November 1943". Air view of Innisfail including jungle, typical of large areas in South Pacific. General view of trials site (ground). Briefing of troops before trial (all of whom volunteered for three weeks). Issue and fitting of anti-gas equipment: medical inspection and testing for abnormal reactions to mustard. Annulus trial: contamination of area with mustard via watering cans. Chemical sampling: troops entering contaminated area and performing routine military tasks. Men on assault course after exposure in annulus trials. Men on six-mile route march. Diagram of most likely areas on body to be contaminated by mustard. Burns on body and scrotum. Affected men repeating assault course. Gastric symptoms: analysis. Repeat of assault course after recovery in hospital. Men exposed to controlled dose of mustard in gas chamber: Men marching in chamber carrying controlled loads. Vapour sampling from chamber. Burns on neck and armpits. Mustard bomb dropped from Australian-built Bristol Beaufort Mk VIII onto jungle area. Troops entering jungle area and proceeding through undergrowth. Diagram of expected body areas to be contaminated after Jungle patrol. Blisters shown on hands, arms and other parts of body. Repeat of assault course after recovery. Further details of burns on various body areas: chart of effort capability by men during recovery period. Men firing rifle although heavily blistered. Burst blisters after assault course. Progressive healing of lesions after burns. Distress in walking, contaminated scrotum, penis etc. Use of gas chamber (constructed in Melbourne) for accurate measuring of effect of gas vapour in controlled temperature and humidity conditions; troops march round carrying boxes, receiving orders from outside via microphone, then exit and remove respirators.
Physical description
16mm