Humans have used weapons for war, hunting, law enforcement, and illegal activities. As technology gets better, improved weapons are made. In the 1830s, the revolver was introduced. It was, at the time, faster to reload than any other gun. Mass production made it affordable and many people wanted one. “The Colt Revolver was the first true multi-shot pistol to be accepted into modern culture. Not only was it revolutionary in its design, it allowed for westward expansion in America. The two most important impacts of the Colt Revolver was its ability to allow the expansion of the American west as well as the introduction of the concept of a multi-shot firearm into the culture of America” (Impact|The Colt Revolver). Shortly after, machine guns …show more content…
Like phosgene, its effects are not immediate. It has a potent smell; some say it reeks of garlic, gasoline, rubber, or dead horses. Hours after exposure a victim’s eyes become bloodshot, begin to water, and become increasingly painful, with some victims suffering temporary blindness. Worse, skin begins to blister, particularly in moist areas, such as the armpits and genitals. As the blisters pop, they often become infected. Mustard gas could also contaminate land where it had been deployed. Exposure sensitized victims; further exposure even at lower doses produced symptoms. Mustard gas caused the highest number of casualties from chemical weapons—upward of 120,000 by some estimates—but it caused few direct deaths because the open air of the battlefield kept concentrations below the lethal threshold.” (A brief history of chemical war)
In 1915, the first major gas attack happened. Soon after, using gas became a routine often used during trench warfare. Gas masks provided good protection against chlorine and phosgene. The soldiers in WWI argued that gasses were no worse than any other weapons when people began saying chemical warfare should be outlawed. The use of these gasses goes way back before WWI: “The first bilateral treaty banning the use of chemical weapons - poisoned bullets in this case - was signed in 1675 between France and the Holy Rome Empire, says Dr Joanna Kidd of King's College London” (How deadly was the poison gas of