Tokyo Nerve Gas Attack
News Coverage
with comments

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Late Morning ~ Monday, March 20, 2000 about 11::40 am (CST)

Today is the anniversary of the deadly organophosphate nerve gas (sarin)
attack on the Tokyo subway by members of the religious cult Aum Shinrikyo.  

The nerve gas used in the attacked -- sarin -- is an organophosphate closely
related to organophosphate pesticides (such as the diazinon used at SBU)
which poisons and kills by the inhibition of the neurotransmitter cholinesterase.

As stated in emedicine: EMERGENCY MEDICINE  An on-line Medical Reference  
under Toxicity, Organophosphate and Carbamate:
     ...
     Exposure to organophosphates and carbamates produces a characteristic,
     treatable syndrome in humans. Its recognition and timely intervention is
     of great importance to emergency physicians and their patients.

     Organophosphates irreversibly bind to cholinesterase causing the
     phosphorylation and deactivation of acetylcholinesterase. The subsequent
     accumulation of acetylcholine at the neural synapse causes an initial
     overstimulation followed by eventual exhaustion and disruption of neural
     transmission in the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS).

     If the organophosphate/cholinesterse bond is not broken by pharmacologic
     intervention [that is, the administration of the antidote (atropine sulfate)
     and other drug therapies] within 24 hours, large amounts of cholinesterase
     are destroyed causing long-term morbidity or death. ...

In the Tokyo nerve gas attack, twelve people were killed and thousands were
sickened -- many (even those who received the antidote), even five years later,
still suffer.

Please remember these victims today.  

Marie, however, was refused emergency medical care (or even a
ride to the hospital) and was not given the name of the applicators
or any way to obtain information on the name and antidote of the
organophosphate to which she had been exposed.

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Four Year Anniversary of the
Tokyo Nerve Gas Poisoning
March 20, 1999
CNN News

Twelve people killed; over 5,000 injured
by organophosphate poisoning
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 ~*~New Today~*~
Doomsday Cult Offers Compensation
ABC News
 ~~~*~~~

 ~*~New Today~*~
Japan Cultists Sentenced to Die
ABC News
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Five Year Anniversary of the
Tokyo Nerve Gas Poisoning
March 20, 2000
Reuters News

2,5000 people still suffering
from poisoning symptoms
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