Gas! Gas! Quick Boys: How Chemistry Changed the First World WarGas! GAS! Quick, boys! reveals for the first time the true extent of how chemistry rather than military strategy determined the shape, duration and outcome of the First World War. Chemistry was not only a destructive instrument of war but also protected troops, and healed the sick and wounded. From bombs to bullets, poison gas to anaesthetics, khaki to cordite, chemistry was truly the alchemy of the First World War. Michael Freemantle explores its dangers and its healing potential, revealing how the arms race was also a race for chemistry to the extent that Germany's thirst for the chemicals needed to make explosives deprived the nation of fertilizers and nearly starved the nation. He answers question such as: What is guncotton? What is lyddite? What is mustard gas? What is phosgene? What is gunmetal? This is a true picture of the horrors of the 'Chemists' War'. |
Contents
Mills Bombs and other Grenades | |
The Highs and Lows of Explosives | |
The Metals of | |
Gas GAS Quick boys | |
Dye or | |
Caring for the Wounded | |
Fighting Infection | |
Notes | |
Bibliography | |
Other editions - View all
Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys: How Chemistry Changed the First World War Michael Freemantle Limited preview - 2011 |
Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys!: How Chemistry Changed the First World War Michael Freemantle No preview available - 2012 |
Gas! Gas! Quick, Boys!: How Chemistry Changed the First World War Michael Freemantle No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
alloy aluminium ambulance ammonia ammonium nitrate anaesthetic Anon antiseptic bacteria Battle Britain British Army bullet bursting charge carbon cartridge casualty clearing station cent Chem chemical industry chemical warfare agents chemist chemistry chlorine chloroform chloropicrin coal coal tar colour containing cordite cylinders detonator developed diphosgene disease drugs dyes employed enemy example explosive fired France French fuse gas masks gas shells gases German grenades guncotton guns Haber helmets highexplosive shells hospital hydrogen ignited incendiary infection inorganic iron khaki known liquid lyddite manufacture materials mercury fulminate military million Mills bomb mixture morphine munitions mustard gas nitric acid nitrocellulose nitrogen nitroglycerine organic chemical organic compound oxide oxygen patients percussion phosgene photographic picric platinum potassium powder Prentiss produced propellant respirators Royal Russian salt sick and wounded smoke sodium soldiers solution steel sulfuric acid surgeon synthetic tons toxic troops types typically United weapons Western Front World Xray Ypres