Nerve agent
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nerve gas or nerve agent is the name of a family of chemical poisons. Usually people call them nerve agents, they do not need to be a gas. They are often used during wars. They work by changing the way the nerves work in the human body. Messages from the brain are no longer transmitted to the muscles and organs.
Since they are chemical weapons, they are classified as weapons of mass destruction by the United Nations according to UN Resolution 687. It is forbidden to stockpile or to produce them since 1993.
People who are subjected to such nerve agents most often die, or bear mutilations and scars for life.
[edit] Commonly known nerve agents
- Tabun, also known as GA, accidentally discovered in 1935. Sarin (GB) and Soman (GD) are of the same family. Not used in World War II for fear of retaliation measures.
