Oregon Secretary of State

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Beware the Bomb: What to Do in a Gas Attack

The following photographs and captions offered viewers a taste of what they could learn by watching the Filmedia Corporation defense training film entitled "What to Do in a Gas Attack."

A gloved hand holding a noise making special alarm.

1.) "If gas should be dropped during an enemy air raid, a special alarm will be sounded. Learn what gas alarm has been chosen for your community. It will be a hand rattle or hammering sound like the beating of a stick on a dishpan."

An arm with a dark drippy substance on it is administered to by a hand holding a cotton ball.

2.) "If you are exposed to liquid gas, quickly remove as much of it as you can by carefully blotting the skin with a dry cloth or absorbent material. Do not smear or spread the gas onto fresh skin areas. Work fast. Liquid gas will cause blisters if not neutralized within a few minutes after exposure."


2 hands hold a bottom over a sink. The bottle reads: Household Bleaching Solution.

3.) "To neutralize any liquid gas remaining on the skin, use ordinary household bleaching containing sodium hypochlorite. Apply the solution with a saturated cloth. Do not rub, as rubbing might cause irritation. And for safety's sake, rinse the hands thoroughly with the same solution."

A woman stands under a shower head and holds a bar of soap in her hand.

4.) "After using the bleaching solution, take a shower and pour buckets of water over yourself while standing in the tub. Use plenty of soap and wash thoroughly. And be sure to wash your hair. Keep the drain open so that the water can't spread the gas over your body. If no first-aid materials are handy, take a shower immediately after removing your clothing. Let the water run freely into your eyes."


A hand holds a man's eye open and places drops of a solution in the eye.

5.) "Eyes should be irrigated within five minutes after exposure to the liquid gas or its fumes. Use a solution of one tablespoonful of baking soda to a quart of water. Fill an enema bag with the solution and have someone help you to irrigate each eye with a steady stream for at least two minutes. Alternate back and forth, one eye to the other. If an enema bag is not handy, use a tea kettle or pitcher."

A hand holds a hose up to a man's nose. The man has his head tilted back.

6.) "After bathing, irrigate the nose with a stream of the same baking soda solution. And to treat the throat, use the same solution as a gargle."


A woman sits on a stool and examines a blister on her left leg.

7.) "If blisters should develop after exposure to liquid gas, don't touch or attempt to break them. Breaking them might spread the gas and cause new blisters. Have someone summon medical aid for proper treatment."

A man in a suit and tie holds a lit cigarette in his right hand and looks at it with a frown on his face and furrowed brows.

8.) "After exposure to gas, you may cough or have a brassy taste in your mouth. Your lungs may feel heavy and oppressed cigarettes don't taste as they should. If this happens, lie down immediately. Relax. Don't exert yourself in any way. Ask your Air Raid Warden to notify the Emergency Medical Service."


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