REPORT: IRAQ'S BIO AND CHEM WEAPONS
If US ground forces storm into Iraq, they�ll be up against a regime armed with a nasty array of biological and chemical weapons. Here�s a dose of what Saddam could pull out of his unconventional arsenal, how the Pentagon plans to fight back, and the fear factor.
Aflatoxin
An easily produced mold found on nuts, rice, and other crops. A dose of 70 to 200 milligrams is considered lethal. It can be delivered by aerosol.
Effects: Jaundice, internal bleeding, liver cancer.
Iraq�s supply: At least 670 gallons unaccounted for, say Iraqi dissidents.
Defense: No antidote is available. Masks offer the best protection.
Fear factor: 7
Ricin
Derived from castor beans; as little as 1 milligram delivered by aerosol can kill within two days.
Effects: Impedes breathing and circulation by killing cells� ability to synthesize proteins. Death follows. Difficult to detect because effects are initially so mild.
Iraq�s supply: In 1998, it admitted to producing 2.7 gallons.
Defense: A protective mask is the only countermeasure.
Fear factor: 6
Anthrax
A bacteria found in domesticated animals. Even a tiny airborne amount can be deadly.
Effects: Fever, respiratory failure, blood poisoning.
Iraq�s supply: The UN estimates more than 4,400 gallons unaccounted for.
__Defense:__Frontline and at-risk US military personnel receive a vaccine.
Fear factor: 8
Botulinum Toxin
The most poisonous substance in the world. As little as 5 micrograms is lethal when inhaled.
Effects: Total muscle paralysis. Death from asphyxiation.
Iraq�s supply: The UN estimates 5,066 gallons unaccounted for.
Defense: Prior to the 1991 Gulf War, the US military developed a heptavalent botulinum antitoxin refined from the blood of a thoroughbred horse named First Flight.
Fear factor: 9
VX Gas
A nerve agent so potent that one 15-milligram drop will kill an adult who inhales it within minutes.
Effects: Overstimulation of muscles, internal organs, and the central nervous system results in fluid buildup. Death from choking.
Iraq�s supply: The UN believes it has 200 tons of VX "precursor."
Defense: Atropine, which slows the heart and counters fluid accumulation.
Fear factor: 9
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