The History of Chemical Agents

2000 B.C. - 2005 A.D.

2300 B.C.The Chinese Army made

use of chemical agents:

Used pots of burning red pepper and oil.

Used ground pepper in rice paper bags.

431 B.C.Peloponnesian Wars

Wood was saturated with sulfur and pitch. A burning smoke was produced.

Results were:1. Disorientation2. Eye closure3. Choking

673 A.D.“Greek Fire”

Ingredients:Sulfur, quick-lime,

pitch, and petroleum.

Results:This mixture would burn on top of water. It would cause choking and skin irritation.

1300 A.D.Siege of Taratine, Italy

First documented use of bacteriological warfare.

1. 2,000 cartloads of horse manure were used to produce foul odor, flies, and disease.2. Later, dead bodies were used to produce plague.

1864Civil War

First use of chemical agent on U.S. soil.

• Siege of Charleston, S.C. Confederate troops used wood saturated with sulfur, burning it to produce a choking smoke.

• A plan by Federal troops to use Chlorine gas to retake the fort was not used.

1869Discovery of “CN”

German Chemist Graebe

CN was a lacrimator and becameknown as “weeping gas”. Later,it was called “tear gas”. It was notused for about 40 years.

1912

Civil Disorder in Paris

*First documented use of chemical agents by law enforcement.

*French Police load “CN” (EthylBromacetate) into military 37mm grenades.

Riotous crowds were successfully dispersed.

1913Germans discover “DM”Diphenylaminechlorarsine

Sickening Agent Licorice odor Pyrotechnic delivery

1915April 22, 1915 in Northern April 22, 1915 in Northern France, Germans use chlorine France, Germans use chlorine gas causing 7,000 allied gas causing 7,000 allied casualties.casualties.The French loaded CN into mortar shells as a “harassing agent”. Later, both sides used chlorine, phosgene and mustard gas.

1915

1916

• Gas Masks rushed to the front

• Developed from mining technology

• Battlefield tested and developed

1918

• Edgewood Arsenal refined DM

• Major Roger Adams

• Known as “Adamsite gas”

1920“OC”

Tincture Oleoresin Capsicum

• Developed at Edgewood Arsenal by U.S. Army

• Not used until the 1980’s.

• All natural, non-synthetic.

• Thought to be less effective than CN

1928“CS”

Orthochlorobenzalmalononitrile

• U.S.Chemists Carson and Sloughton develop it.

• 1956 patented by British,

• 1961 used by British on Cyprus,

• Presently most used chemical agent by Law Enforcement.

1930Acme

Gas Axe

1954LAPD

1958

• UN bans DM as war gas

• U.S. does not comply with ban

• U.S. still stockpiles DM

1960M-17 Gas Mask

• U.S. Army developed mask that would filter CS particles at 1-10 microns.

• (1 micron = 1/25,000 inch)• Filter types

– Green = Riot Agents

– Black = Biological

– Gold = Radioactive

1962“CR”

• Developed by U.S.Army– Higginbottom and Suchitsky

• Tested and used by British

• Used by U.S. military police

• Hand-held aerosol containers loaded by Federal Labs

1965Mace

• Manufactured by General Ordinance (G.O.E.C)

• .9-1% CN in a petroleum-based carrying agent.

• Was most used agent in world.

1969Tear Gas Act of California

• Initiated after the death of LA Times news reporter Reuben Salazar

• Regulated by DOJ

– Sales

– Transportation

– Use

– Training

1969Ferret Rounds

• AAI Corp. introduces 12-gauge liquid frangible shell.

• CN & CS

• 1970 37mm shell

• 1985 40mm shell

• 1991 OC ferrets

• Powder payloads

1974

• U.S. Army approves CR as riot-control agent

1976

• Aberdeen Proving Grounds tests new mask

• Forerunner of MCU-2P (Mickey Two)

1982OC

• Discovered in 1920 Edgewood Arsenal

• Re-discovered and introduced by Lucky Police Products in Florida

• Marketed as “Cap Stun”

1983MCU - 2P

New Mask: Mickey Two

• Standardized quick change filters to NATO spec

• 1st 10,000 to USAF in 1983 by MSI Corp.

• Filters-chemical, biological, radioactive

1984

• SDSO Reintroduces Gas Axe

• Lake Erie Chemical Company

1985Burn Box

Introduced by San Diego Police SWATMilitary Spec. Ammo Can with Ports

1986• OSHA/NIOSH Regulations clarified

• 29 CFR 1910.128 APR Standards

• Military type masks not approved

1990OC

• Def-Tec reintroduces OC nationwide:

– Use is restricted by CA DOJ

– Availability in California to be determined by Environmental Health Services.

1991M-40 GAS MASK

• Combined M-17 and MCU-2P

• U.S. Marines issued new mask

• Later issued to all branches of the military

1992

2002 Model

R&M 40mm Launcher

1992OC

• CA DOJ issues provisional use for 180 days:

– Extended to 1995

– Two products:

• Def-Tec and Cap-Stun

– Law Enforcement Only

1994OC

• DOJ approves use by citizens

• As of March 1, 1994 citizens can carry OC with proper training

• DEF-TEC has only legal product in California

1996DOJ DEREGULATES CHEMICAL

AGENTS IN CALIFORNIA

• Citizen certification program halted

• Citizen use restricted to aerosols less than 2.5 oz

• Unrestricted use by law enforcement

• SA200 Rifle

• Multiple versions

• OC powder

Jaycor Tactical SystemsPepperBall

1999

2000Gas Ram

Gas Ram Deployment

Visible

Persistent

Measured Dose

2001• Fit Testing for gas masks/APRs

• Qualitative Testing/Smell Test

• Quantitative Testing/Instrument Rating

2001Gilbert Arizona

• Home-made gas ram kills Sgt. Tom Hontz during training exercise in Arizona

Gas Axe Explodes

• Smoke Grenade• Ports Blocked• Poor Design

19852001

Aluminum Burn Safe

Flame Trap

2001

• FN Herstal introduces FN 303

2001Penn Arms GL-1 40mm

Mil-spec 40mm Shot Launcher

2001Penn Arms GL-6 40mm

Mil-spec 40mm Shot Launcher

2002Remotec Robot

Remotec Robotwith GL-6 40mm Launcher