Medical Aspects of Terrorism (From Terrorism: Defensive Strategies for Individuals, Companies and Governments, P 55-72, 2001, Lawrence J. Hogan, ed., -- See NCJ-192066)

• NCJ Number: 192070
• Author(s): David W. Siegrist
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 18 pages
• Sale Source: Amlex, Inc.
• Publication Format: Book Chapter
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter discusses the medical aspects of terrorism, including nuclear, chemical, and biological agents.

Abstract

Hospitals with shock-trauma centers are the best equipped to handle victims of traditional terrorism, such as shootings and bombings. Nuclear weapons produce blast, heat, radiation, and fallout. The leading cause of prompt fatalities (deaths within 30 days) is expected to be blast overpressure. Fallout originates as material on the ground that is vaporized by the blast, taken up in the mushroom cloud, and then deposited downwind. Nuclear radiation kills epithelial cells, such as those that line mucous membranes and the gut. The most lethal damage of radiation is destroying bone marrow cells and weakening the immune system, with secondary infection actually taking the victim. Chemical threats include choking agents (phosgene and chlorine), blood agents (cyanide), blister agents (mustard gas), and nerve agents (tabun, Sarin, soman, and VX). Blood agents such as cyanide, and choking agents such as phosgene and chlorine may be the most likely chemical mass casualty threats since they are industrial chemicals with widespread application and relatively widespread availability. Leading biological agents include anthrax, tularemia, plague, viral hemorrhagic fevers, and smallpox. There are vaccinations against either a bacterial or viral illness that build up immunity to it over weeks or months. Bacteria are small living organisms that may be treated by antibiotics. Viruses will run their course and are not susceptible to antibiotics. The most worrisome release of a biological agent would be as an aerosol. Anthrax is often considered the leading biological threat agent because of its unique combination of high lethality, relative accessibility, and relative ease of covert employment. Bubonic Plague is still endemic around the world, including the southwest United States. It is susceptible to antibiotics. Smallpox, a virus, is one of the most prolific killers in history. Toxins are in effect the poisons that biological agents produce. Small quantities can cause fatal damage. 12 endnotes