CASUALTY CW AGENTS Casualty CW agents can cause death or severely incapacitate  personnel  for  long  periods  of  time. C a s u a l t y   a g e n t s   c a n   b e   e i t h e r   p e r s i s t e n t   o r nonpersistent.  They  are  classed  as  blood,  choking, nerve, and blister agents, all of which can inflict serious injury or death. Some  casualty  agents  have  a  cumulative  effect, which means that successive doses add to the effect of each preceding dose. You might receive a nonlethal dose of a nerve agent, for example, followed within a few  hours  by  another  nonlethal  dose.  However,  the cumulative effects of the two exposures could kill you. INCAPACITATING CW AGENTS Incapacitating  CW  agents  temporarily  disable personnel but do not create permanent injury. They can produce  physiological  and/or  psychological  effects. These effects make individuals incapable of performing duties for hours or days even after exposure has ceased. Some  incapacitating  agents  have  effects  that typically last for significant periods of time but do not seriously endanger life; for example, riot control agents. Riot control agents produce only temporarily irritating or  incapacitating  effects  when  used  in  normal concentrations. Complete recovery is usually expected without medical treatment. EFFECTS OF CW AGENTS CW agents will make you a casualty when your body comes in contact with a bigger dose than it can withstand. The limits of tolerance of the human body vary  from  short  periods  of  exposure  and  low concentrations of certain agents to extended periods of exposure  and  high  concentrations  of  certain  other agents. Furthermore, the limits of tolerance to specific agents vary with individuals. Your principal concern is recognizing the symptoms and relieving the effects of exposure before the limit of exposure is exceeded. Nerve Agents Poisoning by nerve agents affects bodily functions. The disruption of nerve impulses produces different effects on different body systems. It’s important for you to recognize both mild and severe signs and symptoms of nerve agent poisoning. Mild symptoms will become severe  if  personnel  are  repeatedly  or  continually exposed to low concentrations of a nerve agent. High concentrations  of  nerve  agent  poisoning  will  cause rapid onset of severe symptoms, possibly without any mild symptoms at all. The symptoms of nerve poisoning are shown in the following chart: 13-3 Student Notes: MILD SYMPTOMS SEVERE SYMPTOMS Unexplained runny nose Unexplained sudden headache Excessive sudden drooling Difficulty seeing (reduced vision or miosis) Tightness in chest, difficulty breathing Localized sweating and muscular twitching in the area of contaminated skin Stomach cramps Nausea Strange or confused behavior Wheezing, difficult, or labored respiration and cough Severely pinpointed pupils Red eyes with tearing Vomiting Severe muscular twitching and general weakness Involuntary urination and defecation Convulsions Unconsciousness Respiratory failure