nerve gas, any of several poison gases poison gas, any of various gases sometimes used in warfare or riot control because of their poisonous or corrosive nature. These gases may be roughly grouped according to the portal of entry into the body and their physiological effects.
..... Click the link for more information. intended for military use, e.g., tabun tabun (tä`bən), liquid chemical compound used as a nerve gas . It boils at 240°C; with some decomposition.
..... Click the link for more information. , sarin sarin (zärēn`), volatile liquid used as a nerve gas .
..... Click the link for more information. , soman soman, colorless liquid used as a nerve gas . It boils at 167°C;, evolving an odorless vapor. It is rapidly absorbed through the skin; death may result within 15 min of exposure. In nonfatal concentrations it is hazardous to the eyes.
..... Click the link for more information. , and VX VX (vē`ĕks), nerve gas several times more toxic than sarin but less volatile.
..... Click the link for more information. . Nerve gases were first developed by Germany during World War II but were not used at that time. These gases generally cause death by asphyxiation, often preceded by such symptoms as blurred vision, excessive salivation, and convulsions. Physiologically, the toxic effect of nerve gases arises because they inactivate the enzyme cholinesterase, which normally controls the transmission of nerve impulses; the impulses continue without control, causing breakdown of respiration and other body functions. Atropine atropine (ăt`rəpēn, –pĭn)
..... Click the link for more information. is an effective antidote against most nerve gases. See also chemical warfare chemical warfare, employment in war of incendiaries, poison gases , and other chemical substances. Ancient armies attacking or defending fortified cities threw burning oil and fireballs. A primitive type of flamethrower was employed as early as the 5th cent. B.C.
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nerve gas

Weapon of chemical warfare that affects the transmission of nerve impulses through the nervous system. The organophosphorus nerve agents Tabun, Sarin, and Soman were developed by Germany during World War II but not used. They and a newer agent, VX, were produced in huge quantities by the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Cold War; their stockpiling and use during war are now banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993. A single droplet of VX or Sarin, if inhaled or in contact with the skin, can be absorbed into the bloodstream and paralyze the nervous system, leading to respiratory failure and immediate death. Sarin was used in 1995 in a lethal attack in the Tokyo subways by members of AUM Shinrikyo.