While they don’t know the answer to that question, they do know that there are long term effects. I knew several men who had been “bitten” by military grade nerve agents, and always had time to listen to anything they had to say on the subject.
The first one had been working “tech escort” on a convoy transporting persistent nerve agent around the US, an infrequent event, to say the least. He unknowingly developed a hole in his suit. Quite abruptly, he showed textbook symptoms, of which there are about a dozen.
At that point, I was all ears, hoping he would wax eloquent.
“I felt really bad. Then they put 10 atropine injectors in my legs. Then I passed out and went into a coma for two weeks. Then I woke up and felt really bad. That’s all.” Just my luck, he was a poet.
The other guy was more interesting. He worked in a lab for a long time with persistent nerve agent, with a low vapor hazard. They had vent fans, wore gloves, goggles, and just surgical masks. If someone’s eyes started to water, they would go outside and smoke a cigarette.
Then they worked with non-persistent agent, with a high vapor hazard. They wore protective masks. Even so, after working with it for a while, his eyes started to water, so he went outside for a smoke.
He took one drag, and then he said “It felt like my lungs contracted to the size of two walnut meats.” He was out cold before he even started to fall down. He concluded by saying that he never smoked another cigarette again, nor wanted to in any way.
Don’t think I’ve encountered any nerve agents. But given the opportunity while in the Army, I messed with a spring-loaded atropine cartridge and injected my finger. No noticeable effect. I also spilled some CN powder on a finger. It burns.
|
Insecticide |
Oral LD50 in Rats (mg/Kg) |
|
Ogranophosphates |
|
|
TEPP |
1.1 |
|
Parathion |
13 |
|
Malathion |
1375 |
|
Dichlorvos |
80 |
|
Diazinon |
108 |
|
Trichlorfon |
630 |
|
Ronnel |
1250 |
|
Carbamates |
|
|
Carbaryl |
850 |
|
Bagon |
83 |
|
Mobam |
150 |
|
Aldicarb |
0.8 |
|
Zectram |
37 |
|
Organochlorines |
|
|
DDT |
113 |
|
Methoxychlor |
6000 |
|
Aldrin |
39 |
|
Dieldrin |
46 |
|
Lindane |
88 |
|
Botanicals |
|
|
Nicotine |
10-60 |
|
Rotenone |
100-300 |
|
Pyrethroids |
100-300 |
http://faculty.swosu.edu/scott.long/txcl/pesticid.htm