Hey Joshua2 - don't you want to see a fair fight after all it is no fun
to go to the slaughter - well like slaughtering helpless pigs and
cattle, it is said do not cast such great pearls before such swine for
surely, they will someday get wise and trample you?
You speak of Syria having VX gas - - now here is the story on the VX gas
and yes, I would be afraid if I were the Israelis - one good wind and
say goodbye?
So the story of the "Syrian" VX deadly gas....
Saba
VX Gas
byJoe Lenthall, Magdalen College School, Oxford.
VX gas spheres in "The Rock"
VX gas is one of the most dangerous chemicals created. It is used in
chemical warfare, and in the film "The Rock", it was that green liquid
that the terrorists threatened San Francisco Bay with.
It was developed in Port Down, Wiltshire, England in 1952 and its
devastating effects were tested.
The British traded the technology of VX with the United States of
America for information on thermonuclear weapons.
Its chemical formula is
CH3CH20-P(O)(CH3)-SCH2CH2N(C3H7)2
(Click here to view 3D structure) and is normally in its liquid state
despite its name. It has a low volatility; is odourless and is an
excellent adhesive.
A special form has been developed that is so adhesive that it is
virtually impossible to remove from the surface that it is in contact
with. This leads to strategic attacks on enemy bases or airfields so
that the VX remains stuck to the area and has the potential to kill any
one attempting to use the base or airfield.
The "V" of VX signifies it long persistence. So it is more
dangerous and toxic than its cousins of the "G" variety like GA (Tabun)
and GB (Sarin), which dissipate quickly and have only short-term
effects. In the liquid form of VX, it is absorbed through the eyes or
the skin of the victim.
It takes an hour or two to take effect and its effects result in death.
The gaseous form is more deadly than the liquid form and acts almost
immediately on the victim. The effects are worst when it is inhaled and
death is an end to the suffering.
The LD50 can be as little as 10mg for humans. It operates by cutting off
the nervous system. It binds to the enzyme that transmits signals to the
nerves and inhibits them. Therefore the nerves become isolated and
uncontrollable.
The antidote, atropine, is a toxin itself but it counteracts the effect
of the VX by removing it from the enzyme. It is an anti-nerve agent so
does the reverse of the VX, a nerve agent. It is normally injected into
the arm or thigh but for gaseous attacks the atropine must go
immediately into the heart. [atropine, isn't that substance once used
and banished for allergies?????? Saba Note]
So full body protection and gas masks are essential to avoid exposure in
a VX missile attack.
VX has not been used to its fullest potential yet because it is too
dangerous to use for local attacks with wind that could blow the VX back
onto the base.
This factor has helped to keep VX from being used to cripple local
nations. If these weapons were launched against a nation then there
would be the possibility of a nuclear counterattack because VX is a
weapon of mass destruction that spreads from impact point killing all in
its path. This would be countered by another, which in a lot of cases,
would be a nuclear bomb.
The only known countries to possess VX are U.S. France and Russia.
England after inventing it abandoned the thought for thermonuclear
warfare. [wonder why they put the formula for VX in his item - Saba
Note]
Other Molecules of the Month.
SABA note: gee Joshua no mention here of Syria having this gas -
wonder where they got it - but anyway here is the formula if you want to
get in the fray.....want to fight a fair fight, don't you? Makes quite
an equalizer, doesn't it - sort of a Don't Treat On Me You Sob attitide,
eh?
http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/mom/vx/VX.htm
