"History and Analysis of Mustard Agent and Lewisite ..." Topic

….Research Programs in the United States.

"This chapter begins with an introduction that briefly describes sulfur mustard and Lewisite and their effects, accompanied by an overview of their development. This is followed by a description of the organization of chemical warfare research during World War I (WWI) and the postwar period of 1919 to 1940, including the development of Lewisite and nitrogen mustard. The major focus of this chapter, however, is to describe the research programs and protocols relating to mustard agents and Lewisite, initiated just prior to World War II (WWII) and continued throughout the war.

This committee also investigated as many protocols and supporting military documents as it could obtain for use in estimating the possible exposure levels experienced by the men who participated in the mustard and Lewisite tests. These estimates were intended to put into context the concentrations of vesicant used in animal and other types of experiments, which the committee was also charged to survey. As these protocols were investigated, it became apparent to the committee that the full body of knowledge available to the wartime scientists, especially information relevant to the long-term health outcomes of exposure to these agents, was not applied in the conduct of the human experimentation. Thus, this chapter begins to address compelling questions that emerged through the course of this study regarding the appropriate use of the existing scientific and medical literature in WWII testing programs, the lack of medical follow-up of human research subjects, and the probable exposure levels experienced by these subjects.

Finally, the chapter overviews the research programs since the end of WWII, including the continuing investigations concerning the mechanisms of toxicity of these agents. Description of the chemical stockpile disposal program is also included. The chapter concludes with an outline of some of the conclusions drawn by the committee from analysis of the historical records and calculations of exposure levels…."
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Amicalement
Armand

The development of Lewisite as a war gas was made by W. Lee Lewis in 1918, while working at the Chemical Laboratory of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

During the 1970's & 80's, every time somebody dug in this area (it was the "victim" of urban development) they would turn up buried artillery gas shells.

the discovery of buried World War I chemical munitions forced evacuations in a Northwest Washington neighborhood

After half a century in the ground the shells were rusted and some leaking. The army would come in and clean up the site. Mumble some thing about "mustard" or other "unidentified" chemicals and say every thing is safe now.

the Army plans to return next month to look for suspected canisters of mustard or other poisonous agents buried in the South Korean ambassador's garden. … Army officials say the canisters, if they exist, do not pose a threat to the affluent XXXXXXXXXXXXX neighborhood as long as they remain undisturbed. But any mustard or other poison compounds in the ground may still be highly toxic, and officials say excavating and removing anything that is found is best for the neighborhood's long-term safety. … The area is now home to more than 13,000 people.

The first quote is from Tango's link above
All other quotes are from The Washington Post link

This explains some of what went on there.
Thank you, Tango

A votre service mon cher ami!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand