Simon Birch Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 Good Morning, The snip below comes from the the file of Lt. Colonel Walter Langmuir Watt of the CAMC (Accessed through the Canadian Library and Archives - https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/ ) who was gassed in 1915, resulting in 'Gas Mouth' - does anyone know what this was or how frequent it was? Also, given that he died in 1953 was there any treatment available? As always any help, thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 Speculating ... Gas Mouth - Might be ulceration of the inside of the mouth due to the inhalation of gas, [probably likely from chlorine producing an acidic solution I would think] ?? Gum and/or tooth injury might thus cause the loss of teeth noted. ?? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Birch Posted 22 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2022 That is as good a speculation as any. Sounds horrible frankly. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 (edited) 6 hours ago, Matlock1418 said: Speculating ... Gas Mouth - Might be ulceration of the inside of the mouth due to the inhalation of gas, [probably likely from chlorine producing an acidic solution I would think] ?? Gum and/or tooth injury might thus cause the loss of teeth noted. ?? M My thought too although with Chlorine gas it would be alkaline not acidic, essentially bleach. Edited 22 February , 2022 by squirrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, squirrel said: My thought too although with Chlorine gas it would be alkaline not acidic, essentially bleach. ??? M Edit: I was thinking hypochlorous acid ??? Edited 22 February , 2022 by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 New one on me but there seems to be such a thing as 'Trench Mouth'. AKA Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis. Symptoms include fatigue and advanced gum disease brought on by a variety of things including psychological stress, poor diet & poor immune system. The report doesn't actually say he was gassed, rather he was exposed to gas which isn't the same thing. Whether 'Gas Mouth' is an alternative term for 'Trench Mouth' remains to be seen but appallingly bad breath and a foul taste in the mouth are other symptoms. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 4 minutes ago, TEW said: New one on me but there seems to be such a thing as 'Trench Mouth'. AKA Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis. Symptoms include fatigue and advanced gum disease brought on by a variety of things including psychological stress, poor diet & poor immune system. The report doesn't actually say he was gassed, rather he was exposed to gas which isn't the same thing. Whether 'Gas Mouth' is an alternative term for 'Trench Mouth' remains to be seen but appallingly bad breath and a foul taste in the mouth are other symptoms. Just a matter of dose I think- gassed = acute high dose, exposed = chronic low dose. Whether it was trench mouth I can't say but think the effect might be quite similar to ginivitis with ulceration and recession of the gums etc. Another one for @Dai Bach y Sowldiwr perhaps ?? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said: Another one for @Dai Bach y Sowldiwr perhaps ?? Can't help I'm afraid. Never heard of it. My thoughts though are the same, that the chlorine gas disolves in moist mucous membranes, causing irritation or ulceration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 Not forgetting April 1915 saw the first use of Chlorine gas in the Ypres salient. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 29 minutes ago, Terry_Reeves said: Not forgetting April 1915 saw the first use of Chlorine gas in the Ypres salient. TR That's right, so can't be the blistering seen on mucous membranes due to mustard gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 22 February , 2022 Share Posted 22 February , 2022 It is a pension related medical report. His present condition is the persistent cough etc. which after consideration he believed to be caused by the stress and the exposure to gas followed by 'gas mouth'. I can't seem to find the original via the link but the report could be 3 or 4 years after the event. Is there an outcome? TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Birch Posted 23 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2022 This is the link to his personnel file if that helps.. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=304636 Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 15 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: My thoughts though are the same, that the chlorine gas disolves in moist mucous membranes, causing irritation or ulceration? 14 hours ago, Terry_Reeves said: Not forgetting April 1915 saw the first use of Chlorine gas in the Ypres salient. Thanks guys, seems in tune with what I thought. 13 hours ago, TEW said: It is a pension related medical report. His present condition is the persistent cough etc. which after consideration he believed to be caused by the stress and the exposure to gas followed by 'gas mouth'. I can't seem to find the original via the link but the report could be 3 or 4 years after the event. Is there an outcome? Not a pension board as such - just a more general Medical Board about 4 years after attestation. Interesting that his pre-war occupation was physician and that he was Canadian Army Medical Corps / 15th Canadian General Hospital etc. so he should have had a fair idea of medical and dental matters [unless doctors' knowledge stops at the lips and starts again at the epiglottis!] Very quickly skimming/paraphrasing: His dental condition appears generally not good with earlier records of pyorrhea [a bacterial complication of untreated gingivitis leading to more permanent peridontis and tooth loss] The report, in the OP, is 1918 when he had bronchitis etc. The three officer Medical Board don't appear to contradict the "Gas mouth" element of his claim [he had pre-service history of pleurisy many years before, and he did appear to have a general range of other ill-health symptoms - then later influenza in 1919] Outcome was that he was put down for a month's leave in 1918 [and more rest and fresh air in 1919] Doesn't help us much with "Gas mouth" symptoms and causation though = would be really interesting to find another such record, description and an explanation etc. M M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Birch Posted 23 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Guys, thanks so much for your thoughts. Whatever it was it sounds absolutely revolting poor sod. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 6 hours ago, Matlock1418 said: [unless doctors' knowledge stops at the lips and starts again at the epiglottis!] Oi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 1 minute ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: Oi! ;-) M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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