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PREFACE
The contents of this document are not be
construed as an official Department of the Army
position unless so designated by other authorized
documents. Opinions are those of the author and do
not necessarily reflect doctrine.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author wishes to thank the investigators and
staff of the Toxinology Division, USAMRIID for
providing the backdrop for the accumulation of the
information contained herein; Drs. Ed Eitzen, Robert
Wannemacher, Carol Linden and Robert Boyle for
technical review; Ms. Kathy Kenyon and Ms. Cherly
Parrott for editorial assistance, and Mr.
Gene Griffith for cover design.
First Printing 1994
Reprinted 1995
Revised 1997
U.S. Army Medical Research
and Materiel Command
ATTN: U.S. Army Medical Research Institute
of Infectious Diseases
1425 Porter Street
Fort Detrick, Maryland 21702-5011
MCMR-UIZ-A
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DEFENSE AGAINST TOXIN WEAPONS
David Franz DVM, PhD
Colonel (ret), U.S. Army
INTRODUCTION
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UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT
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Toxins Compared to Chemical Warfare Agents
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Toxins on the Battlefield
7
Toxicity, Ease of Production and Stability
8
Classes and Examples of Toxins
13
How Toxins Work
17
Many Toxins, But Not an Overwhelming Problem
22
Populations at Risk
22
COUNTERMEASURES
25
Physical Protection
25
Real-Time Detection of an Attack
26
Diagnosis: General Considerations
28
Approaches to Prevention and Treatment
31
Decontamination: Is It Necessary?
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ANSWERS TO OFTEN-ASKED QUESTIONS 39
Protecting Health-Care Providers
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Sample Collection: General Rules for Toxin
40
Toxin Analysis and Identification
42
Water Treatment
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THE FUTURE
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Intelligence: Information that Protects Soldiers
44
Toxins as Weapons
46
Countermeasures to Toxins
47
Protecting Soldiers
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DEFENSE AGAINST TOXI