Toxic Smoke Apparatus
It has been mentioned above that the Germans used a shell, containing solid diphenylchloroarsine and a high explosive. A 10.5 cm. shell (Blue Cross) was about two-thirds filled with cast trinitrotoluene and contained a glass bottle with 300-400 grams of toxic material. Diphenylchloroarsine was also used in shell, in solution, a mixture of phosgene and diphosgene (superpalite) being the ordinary solvent (Green Cross). Mixtures of diphenylchloroarsine and phenyldichloroarsine were also used.
In the case of high explosive shell, the use of a separate container appears to be desirable, because a mixture with the explosive seriously decreases its sensitiveness and even its destructive power. There is also a question as to the stability of such a mixture. However, 75 mm. shell containing 30 per cent diphenylchloroarsine mixed with T. N. T. gave good clouds of toxic smoke.
Toxic Smoke Candle
Two toxic smoke candles were developed by the Chemical Warfare Service, known as the B-M Toxic Smoke Candle, perfected by the Pyrotechnic Section of the Research Division, and the Dispersoid Smoke Candle, developed by the Dispersoid Section.
The B-M Toxic Smoke Candle consists of a bottle-shaped sheet steel toxic container set into a can, containing smoke mixture. The heat from the burning mixture causes the distillation of the toxic material. The toxic vapor is discharged through a nipple, screwed into the neck of the container and extending over the top of the smoke can. Steel wool is used in the toxic container to reduce the violent boiling and spattering of the material. A small amount of steel wool, held in place by a wire screen, is also used in the nipple for the same purpose. The toxic container is sealed by a fusible metal plug, melting at 90° C., cast into a retainer at the base of the nipple. The fusible plug melts upon the first application of heat and allows free passage of the vapor into the smoke cloud. The ignition of the apparatus is effected by means of a simple match head and an accompanying scratcher.
Fig. 102.—Toxic Smoke Cloud from 500 D. M. Candles.
The candles were placed in 5 parallel rows which were 2 yards apart, each row containing 100 candles on a 100 yard front. The total time of active smoke emission was 23 minutes.
The first evolution of smoke occurs about 10 seconds after the first appearance of flame. About one minute after ignition the toxic material will begin to distill into the smoke cloud and this will continue for about four minutes. The burning of the candle should be complete in about six minutes.