Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook

Medical Management of Chemical Casualties. Poisoning by (ie, exposure to) toxic chemicals, a process also called intoxication, has been an important medical issue for centuries. A particularly frightening type of poisoning is the generation of mass casualties on the battlefield by the use of either chemicals developed specifically for that purpose or chemicals produced for industry and coopted for battlefield use. These agents can also produce civilian casualties during warfare and, when used by terrorists, cause both military and civilian casualties in settings remote from a defined battlefield. Military healthcare providers have a responsibility to recognize and manage chemical casualties whatever the setting. This is primarily because military healthcare providers will likely be the first medical personnel to receive exposed service members. Secondly, because of the preeminence of the US military medical establishment in research, response, and training in chemical warfare agents, military medical personnel must be able to respond to chemical exposures at US stockpile sites of chemical warfare agents and provide expert consultation to their civilian counterparts in the event of a terrorist attack involving these agents. Knowledge of the medical aspects of the prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery phases of any military or civilian event involving chemical exposure is expected of every military medical care provider.