Chemical WeaponsBy Luke FellureChemical weapons have been used throughout history, the first recorded use was in 600 BC, when the Athenians poisoned the wells of the Spartans, who then retaliated by throwing burning sulfur pitch over the walls of Athens, attempting to fill the city with toxic smoke. Genghis Khan also used sulfur pitch, burning it and then catapulting it into cities around 1200 AD. Many armies even poisoned arrows and bullets to make them more deadly. Then, on April 22, 1915, during World War I, the Germans resorted to the first large-scale gas chemical attack. 90,000 people were killed and 1 million injured throughout World War I due to chemical weapons. Then the Italians used mustard gas in Ethiopia, Japan used blister agents in China, and then Syria used mustard gas on its own people. Chemical weapons are one of four types of weapons of mass destruction and for good reason. Today, many countries possess chemical weapons, but most of them have signed a non-proliferation treaty prohibiting their use. The United States and Russia both have the largest known stockpiles of chemical weapons. Both countries are reducing their stockpiles and destroying chemical weapons through the Chemical Weapons Convention. The United States, Russia, China, Japan and Syria still have chemical weapons, while Egypt, Taiwan, Sudan and North Korea may possess them. Stockpiles of chemical weapons are increasingly reduced. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was founded on April 29, 1997. It was created to prohibit the production and use of chemical weapons. It oversees the destruction of chemical weapons production facilities and the destruction of all chemical weapons, including chemical weapons...... middle of paper...... allows blood elements and waste to pass through the capillary wall to the tissue spaces. This allows fluid to move into the interstitial and alveolar spaces. Phosgene consists of one carbon atom, one oxygen atom and two chlorine atoms, COCl2. Phosgene was synthesized by the British chemist John Davy in 1812. The use of phosgene, as well as others, is prohibited (NCBI). Chemical warfare has been condemned since its first large-scale use during World War I. Chemical weapons are cheap, can cause mass casualties, and are relatively easy to produce. They were used in numerous conflicts during the 20th century. Chemical weapons, despite the OPCW and other regulations, will continue to be a thought on the minds of sinister people. Chemical weapons have been used since ancient times and will continue to be a part of warfare for many years to come..