Made during WWII and then re-released in the post-war period, “What to do in a gas attack?” is a civil defense film showing civilians how to protect themselves from this form of warfare. The context of the film is provided in the early going, with headlines indicating that the Japanese have engaged in chemical warfare in Asia, and cautioning that the threat of gas warfare is a clear and present danger.
As the narrator says at 2:47, the best defense is to have an airtight shelter in one’s house. Because most gases tend to be heavier than air and dwell on the ground, the second best place to be (aside from a shelter) is upstairs in a multi-story house or building. At 3:25, a woman seals up her home’s windows and her husband seals the chimney against gas incursion. At 3:56, liquid gas is seen on the ground which can be neutralized through decontamination procedures as shown at 4:10. Protective clothing must be worn. At 4:40 a sign is seen stating that mustard gas is present. At 4:50, affected grass is neutralized by men in hazard suits. At 5:50 a clock ticks down the seconds, emphasizing that every second you are exposed to gas vapors is dangerous. A man strips at 6:00 to remove contaminated clothing so that he does not affect his family. At 6:30, the man blots gas off his body using fabric or bandages. At 7:00, household bleach is shown being used to neutralize liquid gas that has hit the skin. Hands are also rinsed with bleach. At 7:40, baking soda is seen being placed into a quart of water to use for decontamination and to irrigate affected eyes. At 8:20, a man’s eyes are irrigated with baking soda water in an attempt to save his sight. At 8:40, the man takes a shower to neutralize the gas using plenty of soap, and at 9:15 he irrigates his nose as well. A woman takes a shower at 9:50 to remove traces of gas. At 10:00, a man who has been exposed to gas notices that fact because his cigarette tastes funny. At 10:30, the man attempts to relax and get attention. At 10:50, a woman with a huge chemical blister examines it. “Do not break it” cautions the narrator. At 11:10, a civil defense worker takes the man’s clothes (seen being removed earlier) for decontamination. At 12:30, the film’s central points are repeated and the narrator mentions again that “time is your ally”.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
