Reflections Science in the cultural context

摘要

In 1919, Torald Sollmann published two papers in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics on the ability of selected solvents and absorbents to modify the severity of skin lesions induced by mustard gas (l,V-thiobis[2-chlorethane], or dichloroethyl sulfide) Mustard gas, or sulfur mustard, is a vesicating agent that had recently been used on troops fighting in the First World War Sollmann's studies were unusual, at least by today's standards, in that he chose to study the effects of this highly toxic compound on himself and on students who volunteered for the project These studies did not provide insights into the mechanism of action of mustard gas or lead to the introduction of a novel antidote, and they certainly do not count among the major contributions to pharmacological research that arose from Sollmann's long and distinguished career Nevertheless, the papers are of interest because they shed light on the way that pharmacology was practiced by one of the founding members of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. The willingness of Sollmann to expose both himself and his students to significant personal risk in the search for protective measures against mustard gas may also reflect the sense of fear and concern in the public at the use of chemical warfare in the twentieth century.