Showing posts with label VX. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VX. Show all posts

Friday, September 21, 2007

Prophesied Destruction of Damascus Imminent? VX and Sarin=BAD!

Interesting article on WND

My thoughts:
If Syria and Iran are playing with VX and Sarin, it does not bode well for anyone there. For those of you who remember The Rock, exposure to these things has got to be one of the worst ways to die. News of someone making it, much less intending to use it, should scare the world into action... Especially since Sarin has a relatively short shelf-life of weeks, thus if you're making it, you're probably intending to use it pretty soon. VX is more persistant (meaning it lasts longer) and just as lethal.

For those who don't remember/aren't familiar with this nasty stuff, here's some info from wikipedia:
Initial symptoms following exposure to sarin are a runny nose, tightness in the chest and constriction of the pupils. Soon after, the victim has difficulty breathing and experiences nausea and drooling. (not too bad so far, right...)

As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, he vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms.
Sarin is a highly volatile liquid. Inhalation and absorption through the skin pose a great threat. Even vapour concentrations immediately penetrate the skin. People who absorb a nonlethal dose (remember even a small amount can be lethal) but do not receive immediate appropriate medical treatment may suffer permanent neurological damage.