The penetration of anti-gas ointments into skin.

mustard gas is altered in some way (fixation or decomposition) as it enters the dermis. Guinea-pig skin is penetrated in a similar manner to human skin (Ferguson and Silver obtained substantially similar results with guinea-pig skin). However, the behaviour of the vesicant in rabbit and in goat skin is essentially different, since it exists in the dermis in the free or uncombined state for at least some hours. The conclusion to be drawTi from this work is that once the mustard gas has penetrated the skin, the use of a therapeutic agent based on a reaction Avith free mustard gas is valueless ; the only hope of preventing skin damage is by a therapy T\̂ hich will reverse the mustard gas fixation and the physiological processes accompanying it. SUIVOIARY.