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Toxikological and health aspects of nonlethal chemical weapons.
HAMERNÍKOVÁ, Magdalena
ABSTRACT Toxicology and Health Aspects of Non-lethal Chemical Weapons. Non-lethal chemical weapons, which belong among the mass destruction weapons, have been one of the most frequently discussed topics recently. These weapons are able to disbar manpower or combat technology and weapons smartly and temporarily with minimum costs. The range of possible application of chemical weapons as non-lethal is probably wider compared to any other type, and there are a lot of means capable of immediate wide application nowadays. The possibility to produce highly efficient psychotropic substances with controllable action time, human immobilizing substances is particularly pointed out. The main aim of my work is to clarify the importance of non-lethal chemical weapons as possible means of suppressing inner turmoil and to find the extent of knowledge of non-lethal chemical weapons among the informed and the general public by means of obtained answers and follow-up research, then to confirm hypotheses that the informed public consider non-lethal chemical weapons to be combat means and weapon systems intended for temporary putting people out of combat or other intentional activity; that the general public perceive non-lethal chemical weapons as health endangering substances and have only limited information about them, by means of selected statistical methods. I chose questionnaire survey to examine awareness of the general and informed public of this matter. The statistic sets in both the groups consist of a hundred respondents from the city of České Budějovice. Stratified selection was performed for both the examined sets upon consultation with a member of the Fire Brigade in České Budějovice. In terms of threat to the population it is important to ensure its safety, namely upon the knowledge among the units of the Integrated Emergency System intervening in the instance of terroristic attack.
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Botulotoxin: dangerous poison or useful remedy?
HAMERNÍKOVÁ, Magdalena
ABSTRACT Botulotoxin: dangerous poison or useful remedy? Regarding present awareness of biological agents and the possibilities for terrorist groups several possible sources, which are most likely to be abused in biological weapons and subsequent spread of these diseases (sources) in population have been addressed, botulotoxin is one of them. Poisoning with botulotoxin (botulism) is a possible variant of bio-terrorist attack, which is considered real at present.. Botulotoxin is used in cosmetics, particularly for smoothening wrinkles, and is also applied in medicine. The aim of my thesis was to gather summarized information on botulotoxin and the possibilities of its abuse as poison for terrorist attack, to enlighten its availability, the way of use by terrorist, a scenario of such an attack, the clinical progress of poisoning, possible mortalities and preventive measures minimizing them, the issues of using botulotoxin as medicine in present health care and evaluation the possible consequent risks, and evaluation of awareness of botulotoxin and bio-terrorism in general among general public and professionals. H1: Professionals consider botulotoxin one of the poisons most likely to be used as an instrument of bio-terrorism and has been high attention paid to its study. H2: General public more perceive botulotoxin as cosmetic preparation for smoothening wrinkles in a face and it has only a few informations of its terrorist abuse. Verification of the first hypothesis was performed at theoretical level by studying professional literature its critical assessment and consultation with experts. All available publications on botulotoxin and its relation to bio-terrorism of the last ten years were collected, and the reasons why botulotoxin is considered to be a suitable instrument of bio-terrorism as well as a suitable instrument in medicine and cosmetics. Verification of the second hypothesis was performed by investigation in the form of a questionnaire research. A questionnaire enabling to find out awareness of botulotoxin and bio-terrorism in general among the public was compiled. The research was conducted among the general public and among professionals, represented by members of the Integrated Rescue System in České Budějovice. The questionnaire consists of 18 questions. The samples of both the groups include 100 respondents, stratified selection of whom was performed upon consultation with an expert. Questionnaire evaluation was performed in 2 spheres. The first sphere deals with identification data and the second with general awareness. The aim of this work was to find out what the awareness of botulotoxin and bio-terrorism in general the general public and professionals was like. Finally I analysed the research results and the formulated hypotheses The research results have confirmed my hypotheses. They show that the examined general public sample and the sample of professionals could not have been chosen from an identical outside group, the difference between them is statistically significant. Professionals are statistically significantly better aware of botulotoxin features than the general public. This thesis represent an information source for those interested in these issues, particularly for the Integrated Rescue System units.
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