Which of the following is a classic vesicant?

Which of the following is a classic vesicant?

• A. Sulfur mustard and Lewisite.
• B. Chlorine and Phosgene.
• C. Sarin and VX.
• D. Cyanide.

Answer: (A)

Vesicants are blistering agents that injure skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, producing painful blisters and tissue damage. Sulfur mustard and Lewisite are the classic examples of vesicants; they cause delayed and severe blistering even after small exposures, which is the hallmark of this category. In contrast, chlorine and phosgene are choking/ pulmonary agents that irritate the airways and lungs; sarin and VX are nerve agents that disrupt the nervous system; cyanide interferes with cellular respiration. So the pair sulfur mustard and Lewisite best represents a classic vesicant.

Vesicants are blistering agents that injure skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, producing painful blisters and tissue damage. Sulfur mustard and Lewisite are the classic examples of vesicants; they cause delayed and severe blistering even after small exposures, which is the hallmark of this category. In contrast, chlorine and phosgene are choking/ pulmonary agents that irritate the airways and lungs; sarin and VX are nerve agents that disrupt the nervous system; cyanide interferes with cellular respiration. So the pair sulfur mustard and Lewisite best represents a classic vesicant.