TB 23-7-1

     52.  PROTECTIVE MEASURES. --  a.  When material is in constant danger of gas attack, unpainted  metal parts will be lightly coated with engine oil.  Instruments are included among the items to be protected by oil from chemical clouds or chemical shells, but ammunition is excluded.  Care will be taken that the oil does not touch the optical parts of instruments or leather or canvas fittings.  Materiel not in use will be protected by covers as far as possible.  Ammunition will be kept in sealed containers.
     b.  Ordinary fabrics offer practically no protection against mustard gas or lewisite.  Rubber and oilcloth, for example, will be penetrated within a short time.  The longer the period during which they areexposed the greater the danger of wearing these articles.  Rubber boots worn in an area contaminated with mustard gas may offer a grave danger to men who wear them several days after the bombardment.  Impermeable clothing will resist penetration more than one hour, but should not be worn longer than this.

     53.  CLEANING. --  a.  All unpainted metal parts of material that have been exposed to any gas except mustard and lewisite must be cleaned as soon as possible with SOLVENT, dry cleaning, or ALCOHOL, denatured, and wiped dry.  All parts should then be coated with engine oil.
     b.  Ammunition which has been exposed to gas must be thoroughly cleaned before it can be fired.  To clean ammunition use AGENT, decontaminating, noncorrosive, or if this is not available strong soap and cool water.  After cleaning, wipe all ammunition dry with clean rags.  Do not use dry powdered AGENT, decontaminating (chloride of lime, used for decontaminating certian types  of materiel) on or near ammunition supplies, as flaming occurs through the use of cloride of lime on liquid mustard.

     54.  DECONTAMINATION. --  For the removal of liquid chemicals (mustard, lewisite, etc.) from materiel, the following steps should be taken:
     a.  Protective measures. --  (1)  For all of these operations a complete suit of impermeable clothing and a service gas mask will be worn.  Immediately after removal of the suit, a thorough bath with soap and water (preferably hot) must be taken.  If any skin areas have come in contact with mustard, if even a very small drop of mustard gets into the eye, or if the vapor of mustard has been inhaled, it is imperative that complete first-aid measures be given within 20 to 30 minutes after exposure.  First-aid instructions are given in TM 9-850 and FM 21-40.
     (2)  Garments exposed to mustard will be decontaminated.  If the impermeable clothing has been exposed to vapor only, it may be decontaminated by hanging in the open air,preferably in sunlight for several days.  It may also be cleaned by steaming for 2 hours.  If the impermeable clothing has been contaminated with liquid mustard, steaming for 6 to 8 hours will be required.  Various kinds of steaming devices can be improvised from materials available in the field.
     b.  Procedure. --  (1)  Commence by freeing material of dirt through the use of sticks, rags, etc., which must be burned or buried immediatley after this operation.
     (2)  If the surface of the materiel is coated with grease or heavy oil, this grease or oil should be removed before decontamination is begun.  SOLVENT, dry cleaning, or other available solvents for oil should be used with rags attached to ends of sticks.
     (3)  Decontaminate the painted surfaces of the materielwith bleaching solution, made by mixing on part AGENT, decontaminating (chloride of lime), with one part water.  This solution should be swabbed over all surfaces.  Wash off thoroughly with water, then dry and oil all surfaces.
     (4)  All unpainted metal parts and instruments exposed to mustard and lewisite must be decontaminated with AGENT, decontaminating, noncorrosive, mixed one part solid to fifteen parts solvent (ACETYLENE TETRACHLORIDE).  If this is not available, use warm water and soap.  Bleaching solution must not be used, because of its corrosive action.  Instrument lenses may be cleaned only with PAPER, lens, tissue, using a small amount of ALCOHOL, ethyl.  Coat all metal surfaces lightly with engine oil.
     (5)  In event AGENT, decontaminating (chloride of lime) is not available, material may be temporarily cleaned with large volumes of hot water.  However, mustard lying in joints or in leather  or canvas webbing is not removed by this procedure and will remain a constant source of danger until the materiel can be properly decontaminated.  All mustard washed from materiel in this manner lies unchanged on the ground, necessitating that the contaminated area be plainly marked with warning signs before abandonment.
     (6)  The cleaning or decontaminating of materiel contaminated with lewisite will wash arsenic compounds into the soil, poisoning any water supplies in the locality for either men or animals.
     (7)  Leather or canvas webbing that has been contaminated should be scrubbed thoroughly with bleaching solution.  In the event this trewatment is insufficient, it may be necessary to burn or bury such materiel.
     (8)  Detailed information on decontamination is contained in FM 21-40, TM 9-850, and TC 38, 1941, Decontamination.

     55.  SPECIAL POINTS PERTAINING TO CARBINE, CAL. .30, M1. --  The carbine should be completely disassembled for cleaning and decontamination, and special attention given to the points enumerated below:
     a.  Bore and chamber.
     b.  Piston and gas cylinder.
     c.  Operating slide spring aperature in reciever.
     d.  All spring, plunger, and other aperatures.
     e.  Sling and oiler aperature in stock.
     f.  Reciever locking aperature in recoil plate.
     g.  Barrel and reciever bed in stock and hand guard.
     h.  Rear sight base and (beneath) spring.
     i.   Sling.
 

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By order of the Chief of Ordnance:

(O.O. 461/9826 Infantry)