DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

File: 123096_sep96_decls1_0106.txt
Page: 0106
Total Pages: 109

Subject: DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS       

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003203

Folder Title: DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS                                       

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:         21













                                                      NATO UNCLASSIFIED


                                                           CHAPTER 11


                                                    PSYCHOL40CICAL EFFECTS

                  1101.   The term "biological warfare" may provoke feelings of horror and the
                  mere threat of such an attack might well cause a significant psychological
                  effect.    Even if the direct effects of a recognised biological attack, as
                  determined by the number of casualties, were slight, the psychological
                  influences of this invisible, and intangible, threat could lead to panic and
                  collapse of morale with serious repercussions on the military effort.

                  1102.   Each case of illness on the battlefield could be attributed to a
                  biological attack.      Even minor sympcoms might be interpreted as the first
                  signs of an artificially-produced disease.          The possibility that an enemy
                  might use saboteurs as panic mongers, merely spreading rumours of a biological
                  attack, cannot he overlooked.        In -fact.               operations could be used as
                  part of psychological operations. The effectiveness of such psychological
                  operations would depend largely on the psychological state of the target
                  populations.

                  1103. An adequate appreciation of the threat, in combination with the
                  implementation of defensive measures, will help to prevent panic in the
                  affected population.      This can be achieved only by adequate preparation and
                  training prior to such an attack.

                  1104.   Defensive measures should include clear operating procedures which must
                  be understood and implemented in the event of biological attack.               A lack of
uch operating procedures to deal with biological casualties would lead
                  inevitably to chaos, and panic may well ensue.

                  1105.   In the preparation of plans for medical care following a biological
                  weapons attack it must be assumed that the percentage of physicians and
                  ancillary medical personnel unavailable due Lo illness resulting from the
                  attack will be the same as that for the population as a whole.               Thus, the
                  greater the number of casualties, the smaller the number of medical personnel
                  to care for them.

                  1106. The care of civilian casualties following a biological operation may be
                  a greater problem than the care of military personnel.             Military and other
                  governmental medical services have the primary responsibility for research and
                  for the logistical and organizational planning necessary to enable the medical
                  profession to cope with such an attack, but civilian physicians will be
                  required to provide the medical care for nonmilitary personnel.

                                                  THE MILITARY POPULATION

                  1107. On the battlefield there are many psychological pressures on the
                  individual.     In Northwest Europe a high technology war would be expected, with
                  rapidly moving forces, tremendous fire power and the possible use of nuclear,
                  chemical or biological (NBC) weapons. The wearing of individual protective
                  equipment (IPE) prior to NBC attack will weaken individuals physically and
                  mentally. Command, control and communications will be made =re difficult by

Document 109 f:/Week-36/BX003203/DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS/detection of medical defense against biological :1217960927452
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003203
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
Folder Seq # = 21
Subject = DETECTION OF MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 17-DEC-1996