— ~ -_—____ — 
- __-SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
means of creating a surprise. As we know now, they decided to intro- 
‘duce chemistry into war, relying on the fact that their dyestuff mono- 
‘poly would enable them to have a great advantage over the Allies in 
ihe production of toxic substances. Their first attack with chlorine was 
in April, 1915. ‘Had the Germans realized at the time the success of 
their opening attack, it is-possible that the results would have been 
disastrous to the Allies. 
A defence was very soon improvised by us against chlorine. Sub- 
sequently, phosgene, of which the German dye-makers produced large 
quantities in peace time for the purpose of making dyes, was intro- 
duced, and afterwards a variety of organic substances was employed. 
' With one insignificant exception, the whole of the chemical warfare 
products used by Germany in the struggle were made: by the I.G. At 
the same time, their research organization was largely devoted to the 
discovery of new toxic substances suitable for use in war. 
How close was the connexion between the General Staff and the 
1.G. is shown not only by the interview referred to by Ludendorff, but 
by the fact that whenever the German military authorities wished to 
introduce a new gas, a conference was held in Berlin with the repre- 
sentatives of the I.G. No other firms were represented. The sub- 
stances used were numerous. The manufacture was complicated, some- 
times dangerous. They were used in vast quantities, and, therefore, very 
large manufacturing resources were required. Yet no other firm had a 
hand in their production. The technical methods adopted were those 
suggested by the I.G., Berlin. The I.G. suggested methods which could 
be carried out in their dyestuff plants. 
Dancrrous Drrays. 
Tn our own country, when a new gas had to be made in the late war, 
plant had, in nearly every case, to be specially erected for the purpose. 
This involved great delay before the product could be used in the field, 
_ond the plants are now nearly valueless either for peace or for war. 
In war it is of the utmost importance that the inevitable lag between 
the discovery of a substance suitable for.use in the field and its pro- 
duction on a sufficiently large scale should be as short as possible. 
There are usually several ways in which the same substance can be 
prepared. In war that process will be. selected which will produce the 
substance in the desired quantity with the least possible delay; for in- 
stance, in plant already existing. For this reason most of the poison 
products used by the Germans were not made in one factory. Certain 
operations ‘were carried out in another plant. Thus, in the case of 
mustard gas, the intermediate product was prepared at Ludwigshafen, 
the finishing steps involving the production of mustard gas at Lever- 
kusen. The reason for this was that at Ludwigshafen there was already 
in existence plant erected for making dyes which was suitable for the 
manufacture of thiodiglycol. This plant was extended at Ludwigshafen, 
‘and is now available for the increased production of dyes. 
The military value of chemical warfare is little understood owing to 
the secrecy in which the work has been done. In the popular mind it 
is associated with a feeling of. peculiar revulsion, and its true signi- 
ficance from the military point of view has been obscured by the 
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