317 
1916-17.] Observations on the Blood in Gras Poisoning. 
give a lymphocyte count of less than 40 per cent. Of these eight — viz. 
5, 7, 10, 11, 19, 20, 22, and 23 — are definitely slight cases in which the 
gassing was a secondary consideration. 
Taking Case 22 as an example : — 
This is the case of a man who was gassed on September 25, 1915, 
through lifting his helmet for a couple of seconds only. He lost the power 
of his legs for some ten minutes, but did not vomit. He has since child- 
hood suffered from bronchitis and asthma, but has been worse since the 
gassing. He did not go sick until some time afterwards, but he has since 
been discharged from the army on account of his asthma. This is a case 
in which a condition previously present was aggravated by gassing, but 
clearly the actual gassing was not severe. 
There is another series of cases in which counts approximately normal 
were obtained, but in which the gassing was moderately severe. These 
require a rather more careful scrutiny. Such are 16, 24, 29, 36, 38, 40, 
and 50. 
Case 16 was gassed in July 1916. His statement is that he was 
rendered unconscious, and he complained when admitted to hospital of 
cough and tightness in the chest. He was sent to a convalescent* home 
soon after, where he was punished for breaking bounds, and he has since 
rejoined his unit and has received promotion. It is clear that he cannot 
have been a severe case of gas poisoning. 
Case 24 was gassed with cloud gas in August 1916, through not having 
his helmet on. He was not rendered unconscious, but had to be carried 
back on a stretcher. He could not eat food for several days. He suffered 
from cough. His symptoms had practically disappeared before admission 
to hospital. A note from the medical officer of the convalescent home 
to which he was sent states that he had neither gastric nor pulmonary 
symptoms when discharged. He has since rejoined his unit. 
Case 29 was gassed with shell gas at the end of July 1916. He had 
no helmet on, and suffered immediately from vomiting and breathlessness. 
These symptoms continued. Fourteen hours later he became unconscious, 
and remained so all day. He continued to suffer from cough with 
expectoration, and when admitted to hospital complained of breathlessness 
on exertion and pain in the chest. No heart lesion was found on ausculta- 
tion. Although showing an almost normal blood count on October 25, 
1916, a month later the count was as follows: — polymorphs 58’7 per cent., 
lymphocytes 39'3 per cent. The man was suffering from psoriasis. This 
man volunteered the statement that the gas smelt like ammonia. 
Case 36 was gassed with shell gas on August 21, 1916. He vomited, 
