Riga, 1917

Toward the end of the first World War, in July 1917, just prior to the Third Battle of Ypres, and in full violation of the Hague Convention, the Germany Army first deployed Mustard Gas against British soldiers there, following with an attack on entrenched Russian troops in Riga, Russia, what is now modern day Latvia.

An effective disabling agent, Mustard Gas is non-volatile to transport, easy to deploy, and ultimately effective
insofar as its ability to permeate everything it came in contact with in a dispersal pattern. Though not particularly deadly when deployed in a time of war, its use was to inflict suffering as a means to slow the advance of enemy troops.





Of course its not really mustard. Its a vesicant (attacking exposed skin) cytotoxic (attacking at a cellular level) chemical agent designed to cause pain. It was called "Mustard" Gas because its odor was similar to the mustard plant, and there's not much on this earth which occurs naturally in nature that is as potent for its size as the mustard seed. (Chinese hot mustard, anyone?)

Even the bible talks about the power of the mustard seed in Mark 4:31-32, and Matthew 17:20 -

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

And sometimes, out of ignorance, I learn things the hard way.

Like when you're juicing greens.

Experts suggest using no more than one to two leaves of Mustard Greens.

Not twelve.

I thought I was going to die.