Protesters, activists and friends are reporting disturbing side effects from the tear gas grenades used by the central security forces in Kasr Al Aini street in the past 24. Some protesters are reporting that they are coughing blood.
When I was in Tahrir square and Mohamed Mahmoud street , I took photos for the tear gas grenades fired .
A doctor and friend told me that it could CR gas. Now our friends in Bikya Misr got a very alarming report the CR tear gas grenades used in the current protests. According to BM’s report this gas can cause severe pulmonary damage, as well as causing damage to the heart and liver. It is also reported to increase the risk of miscarriages,
I am not jumping in to the wagon of chemical warfare but I know the ministry of interior is cheap enough to buy the worst and oldest types of tear gas grenades in the world that are not suitable for human use in the first place. I remember last year we found out that the CSF is using tear gas grenades that its expiry date was in 1998 !!
Even if you think that those protesters are scum , think about the residents of Kasr Al Aini street and Tahrir square , the employees working there as well the millions of citizens using the subway stations in those days there !!
Now if you want to buy gas masks , you can find them in the stores at Al Gomhouria street. According to veteran protesters there are two types of masks available now : The Russian and the Spanish. The Spanish is better according to them in quality.
Zeinab the canister says CS gas which is different from CR gas and more toxic.
ReplyDeleteLast week it is was CS gas , wow so it is more toxic !! great I had my share from it when I was there !!
DeleteYes, it is CS gas. Or at least that's what the canister pictured says it is. And CS gas is the standard teargas used all over the world.
Deletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CS_gas
CR gas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CR_gas
Wiki says it is less toxic than CS, but then goes on to describe debilitating effects much more severe than CS and suggests that fatalities can occur in relatively short periods of time. Doesn't make much sense to me, but that's wiki for you isn't it?
Another type of tear gas:
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/CN+gas
That one isn't used much because it causes dizziness and nausea which kinda defeats the purpose if you're trying to disperse rioters.
Excellent initiative, Zeinobia.
ReplyDeletevery important article, thanks
ReplyDeleteone quibble: the Bikyamasr article is a year old, but I assume you're saying what is seen in the streets now is the same as what BM denounced a year ago
thanks again
Zeinab please tell all your friends who are exposed to the tear gas to change their cloths and take a shower once they get home. CR gas, which is less toxic than CS gas, is more stable in water and does not wash off easily in water. CS, the current used gas in Egypt, is more toxic but easily washed off with water and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
ReplyDeleteThe company that exported this poison to Egypt is combinedsystems located in Jamestown, Pennsylvania.