HC Deb 13 February 1968 vol 758 c315W
107. Mr. John Lee

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the benefits to medical science derived from work at Porton Chemical Warfare Research Station.

Mr. Mason:

The work of the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment is directed towards research on defence against chemical warfare but some of the work of the Establishment has found applications to medical science.

The benefits to medical science include:

  1. (a) the investigation of the mode of action of a number of toxic compounds leading to the development of measures for the treatment of intoxication;
  2. (b) the development of an antidote to poisoning by organophosphorus insecticides. (An emergency service providing advice and first-aid treatment has been maintained since 1960);
  3. (c) the development of aids to therapy, such as an automatic injection device and a portable resuscitator which is used by fire brigades and other rescue services;
  4. (d) the investigation of the structure of the skin and the processes of skin penetration;
  5. (e)the investigation of the nature of the alveolar lining of the lung.