M7’S DEADLY TEARGAS

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Tear gas: more than meets the eyes
Health& Living
Written by Gertrude Tumusiime
Wednesday, 11 May 2011 18:22

A taxi driver washes tear gas out of his eyes

During the recent ‘walk-to-work’ riots in Kampala, as police tried to disperse the crowds, a tear gas canister was thrown right into Faith Nakaweesa’s compound about 50 feet from the road.

It exploded while she and her children were locked in the house. The gas got into the house, and they were affected. Nakaweesa did not have any water in the house; so, she did not wash her face immediately as others struggled to wash to relieve the sting of the gas.

The following day, according to her son, her skin turned pink and started peeling. Unlike the usual cases of tear gas that involve irritation of the eyes, nose, and tearing, hers went beyond. It affected her skin beyond a rash; her lips and eyes oozed out blood and today, she looks like someone with third-degree burns.

Her family rushed her to the nearest clinic but it could not handle her case; so, they referred her to Mulago Hospital where she is being treated. Nakaweesa is just one of the many people who suffered adverse effects from tear gas in the April 29 overdose dished by police as riots broke out countrywide over opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye’s arrest.

Mulago Hospital admitted more than 40 teargas victims that day, although most of them were discharged the same day.

Tear gas is a chemical compound commonly used by police to control crowds by forcing people out of confined spaces because it causes extreme discomfort by irritating the eyes, nose, mouth, skin and mucous membranes in each of the organs.

Information from the Internet indicates that tear gas is made up of several chemicals that cause excessive tearing and irritation, including Chloroacetophenone (CN), chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) and dibenzoxazepine (CR).

When the gas is released into the air, it covers a relatively wide area and once it comes into contact with eyes, skin, nose, and mouth, it causes severe irritation.

According to Dr Edison Babigamba, an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon at Mulago hospital, “The tear gas comes into contact with the mucous membrane in these exposed organs, causing inflammation of the glands and hence tearing, sneezing, coughing, hard breathing, pain in the eyes, temporary blindness, swelling of the eyes and nose among others.”

Effects on Eyes

Tear gas gets its name from its characteristic effect; it causes eye irritation and extreme tearing. The tearing and irritation are often so severe that people who have been exposed to the gas cannot see properly and might not be able to keep their eyes open because of the swelling of eyelids.

“The overtearing causes dryness in the glands and so these areas become burnt, and unable to release any fluids for lubrication, thus irritation,” says Dr Babigamba.

Effects on skin

Although it affects the eyes and nose, tear gas also irritates exposed skin, causing a burning sensation and a rash; this is what happened to Nakaweesa. This, according to Babigamba, is caused when the gas penetrates the skin through hair follicles and irritates the sweat glands, making it impossible for them to release sweat, hence dryness that eventually brings the rash and itching.

Effects on Nose and Mouth

When tear gas is inhaled, it causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose, throat and mouth. This causes uncontrollable drooling, a running nose, burning, itching and difficulty in breathing and swallowing. This is so because the gas causes swelling and there is left a small air way, thus, difficulty in breathing.

Effects on Lungs

Like the nose and mouth, inhaled tear gas also affects the lungs. Gas in the lungs will cause a lot of congestion and air obstruction, making the passages narrower thus causing tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, coughing, gagging and a choking sensation.

In fact some people caught up in Kampala’s tear gas have complained of persistent coughs, weeks after they inhaled the gas.

Prolonged exposure

Prolonged exposure, that is, more than an hour, can cause serious damage to the eyes, skin, nose, mouth and lungs. It might also cause nausea and vomiting, especially when a large amount is inhaled.

According to the ENT specialist, this kind of exposure can be very dangerous as it can cause corneal ulcer, which could lead to permanent blindness, severe burns on the skin and may also cause chronic pulmonary obstructive airway disease. He, however, warns that, repetitive exposure to tear gas is disastrous to people with allergies, and may aggravate allergies and cause attacks to become more frequent.

“Inhaling the gas frequently causes respiratory failure. Now people who have heart conditions, asthma or other breathing problems are especially susceptible to death from tear gas exposure,” Babigamba says.

Treatment

Normally, the effects of teargas wear off within 30 minutes to an hour. Water is the first treatment anyone can get to wash off chemicals from the affected areas and soothe the irritation. But first aid workers from Uganda Red Cross Society have been heard telling victims during the riots, not to drink water immediately, as it only aggravates symptoms.

However, Babigamba advises that victims should not only end at washing their eyes with water because it is just first aid. He recommends use of high doses of steroids and ointments for the eyes, and then padding the eyes always to protect them from sunshine.

He also advises victims to use mouth oils like borax, oral cure and some painkillers to reduce inflammation.tumusiimetrudy@yahoo.com

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