Midspectrum Incapacitant Programs - Deadly Cultures: Biological Weapons Since 1945 - page 246

ject 112, resulting in an enthusiastic expansion. Urgent priority was given
to developing a standardized incapacitating CW agent, and in March
1961 top priority was given to the anticholinergic agent 3-quinuclidinyl
benzilate (figure 12.1), officially designated BZ, which had been under
study since 1958. Its effects were initial torpor, followed by delirium, hal-
lucinations, and unpredictable behavior, including paranoia, that lasted
for several days. 99
The archival record is fragmentary after 1960, but milestones can be
identified in the psychochemical program. In the autumn of 1961 a 12-
month program under Project 112 was created to provide a standardized
munition for BZ, resulting in standardization on 12 March 1962 of BZ in
the 750-pound M43 cluster bomb and 175-pound M44 generator cluster.
These were clusters made on the basis of a ¾-pound canister, the M16 BZ
generator, based on the M42 smoke pot. The 1962 BZ standardizations
were designated “level B,” indicating that they had important shortcom-
ings and were considered interim weapons. Indeed, the British consid-
ered BZ and its 1962 US munitions unsatisfactory. They failed to meet the
specifications in several important ways. BZ's onset time was slow and
variable: the dose capable of disabling half of exposed soldiers took at
least one hour to have any effect and did not reach full effect for 8 hours
(figure 12.2). This dose would make a soldier incapable of combat for
about 24 hours. Soldiers receiving twice this dose would be incapacitated
within an hour and remain incapacitated for at least 48 hours. Much

N

O

O C C OH

Figure 12.1 Structure of quinuclidinyl-benzylate (BZ).