Show CIVIL DEFENSE Knowledge of Biological Warfare Is Vital Link in Civil Defense la the third f a an br Walter A. W e a t c r n By WALTER A. BREAD D.C. With an enemy which places no value whatever upon the lives of which has no moral scruples as we know an atomic bomb Is not the only peril faced by the American people in an all-out war with Biological warfare against people and against animals Is one of these This sort of warfare which can spread a wide variety of disease including a number of protozoa and soluble may be waged from within by or from without by enemy planes and can be disseminated through a variety of chief of which are air and These infectious diseases taken in by humans through absorption through the skin or by could be disseminated by aerial bombs and other by release of infective aerosols from planes or from ground taking advantage of favorable or by release in ventilating systems of large Particularly effective is contamination of water In addition to biological warfare against animals can be effective since dairy and poultry products are an Important source of diet for both military and civilian Production of wool and might be curtailed and important and pharmaceuticals such as liver extract and entirely dependent upon animal glands and could be cut Such animal diseases as foot-and-mouth fowl pest and foreign types of Newcastle disease appear to have greater possibilities for damage in this Then there Is biological warfare against crops in the spread of Insect pests and plant diseases which constitute a threat to our food It would be comparatively easy for low flying planes to spread such crop and animal diseases across the vast stretches of the country's great plains where oats and the meat animals are raised and where population Is comparatively The department of agriculture knows about many of these foreign pests such as Japanese European corn Mediterranean fruit citrus canker and other Our most successful method of keeping down losses is development of strains resistant to specific which takes But It Is likely that new organisms which present crop varieties cannot may be even In peace and chemicals might be disseminated openly over these vast crop areas where hostile planes might gain a a a OF COURSE CONSTANT before-hand knowledge how to detect the effect of biological warfare on both humans and the proper method of fighting the and how and counties can be organized to fight these perils is a function of the civil defense Probably one of the most Insidious and dangerous methods of chemical warfare is the dissemination of so-called nerve developed In Germany during World War These nerve gases are more toxic than any previously known war gases and are nearly colorless and They are liquids which yield toxic vapors when they evaporate and are laid down near the These gases cut off breathing and blood Action Is prompt and lethal and inhalation for a few seconds may cause Exposure to mild traces of the vapor causes bronchial restriction with difficulty in coughing and a water discharge of the A slightly greater exposure induces painful constriction of eye terrific pain back of the Larger doses cause rapid and severe preventing both inhalation and The victim becomes confused and may have nausea and vomiting and falls The blood pressure heart beat is slowed and may or may not start U.S. public health service has worked out treatments for all these inhuman forms cf modern warfare In the biological and chemical The point is in learning how to combat what treatments to give in emergencies and in the long pull for to pile up stocks of the right kind of particularly and plenty of gas protective how to prevent hospitalization and a dozen other necessities in case of such an Doctors and veterinarians must take special courses in how to combat the effects and this professional manpower must come from the private Therefore full cooperation of the various county and local medical and related professional groups is Be ready to article will and train-Inc centera In the civil |