Skin absorption of certain gases

In discussing absorption of different substances by the skin most of the text-books of dermatology state that gases are more readily absorbed than liquids. While it can be seen that skin absorption of vesicant gases such as B chiorvinyl dichlorarsine (Lewisite) or BB ’ dichiorethyl suiphide (mustard gas) can easily occur the possibility of non-vesicant gas being absorbed by un-injured skin is presumably less, the more so as the skin has been repeatedly shown to be resistant to the passage inward of most substances. A few exceptions to the rule have been noted, includ-ing such substances as boric acid, mercury when thoroughly rubbed in, and a few of the more active alkaloids and toxins. Until recently the question of skin absorption of gases has been of purely scientific interest as all fatalities in industrial poisonings from the gases considered by us were due to absorption by the lungs. But the development of mine rescue apparatus and im-provements in the gas mask may lead to men exposing their bodies for prolonged periods of time to high concentrations of gases, and fatalities might occur if there is skin absorption, even though the respiratory tract is protected. That high concentrations of gases are often met with has been shown by the following observers. Vedder (1) has shown that the strong fumigant mixture at present recommended by the United States Public Health Service for the destruction of lice and roaches would result in establishing a concentration of 1.88 mgm. per liter of cyanogen chloride and 0.654 mgm. per liter of hydrogen cyanide. The Public Health gas mask canister is designed to protect against such a concentration for four or five hours