From:	Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@******.COE.NORTHEASTERN.EDU>
Subject:	Re: Willie Peter is your FRIEND!!!
Date:	Mon, 12 Apr 93 16:00:46 CET

>>>>> "Dark" == Dark Thought Publications.
<JEK5313@*****.TAMU.EDU> writes:

Dark> ]Ignoring the problem of premature ignition, phosphorous rounds need
Dark> ]oxygen to burn, not generic "air". Is there enough oxygen in the
Dark> ]blood to keep phosphorous burning?

Yes. Especially with an open wound around it. Blood absorbs oxygen out of
air quite nicely, thank-you-very-much.

Dark> Don't know about that, but I do recall a MASH episode (long live
Dark> Hawkeye Pierce!!!!) where they did surgery to remove WP fragments
Dark> from a man's leg. They kept his leg submersed in water during the
Dark> surgery.

Yep. But the reason why was to keep the WP's temperature below a level
where it would spontaneously combust, not to keep Oxygen away from it.
That's why the water was chilled (and they were risking hypothermia).

That's why WP is so nasty: if it doesn't burn you to death, you may freeze
to death from the cure.

--Rat PGP Public Key Block available upon request
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Northeastern's Stainless Steel Rat ratinox@******.coe.northeastern.edu
I'm so hip I can't see past my own pelvis. --Zaphod Beeblebrox