The Hungarian Készenléti ampulla (standby ampoule) or Önampulla (self ampoule) was issued to the Néphadsereg (People’s army), Munkásőrség (Worker’s militia), Polgári védelem (for registered members, it was the part of the ERBVCs as well) (Civil Defence) and to other organisations like Határőrség (Border guards) and Rendőrség (Police) during the Cold War. It was in service between 1960 and 1990. It was manufactured by Reanal Finomvegyszergyár.
KÉPA A[]
It is an injection needle with a small plastic ampoule containing the antidote. Four of these was placed in a cardboard or plastic box each separately packed in cellophane. The older one used a vire in the cap to open the amoule while the later one used the other side of the needle to do this. On the very early ones the "ATROPIN" sign is not moulded into the syrette body but it is stamped with red letters.
Substance[]
The 2ml antidote is 0,2% Atropine sulfate tincture which can radically decrease the symptoms and the effects of nerve agent poisoning (sarin, soman, V agents, etc). Atropine has a competitive antagonist activity at the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and thus has a parasympatholytic (inhibitory effect on the parasympathetic nervous system). In a bit easier to understand way: it prevent the irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase so acetylcholine can't pile up so the muscles can relax. Because of this it can prevent or reduce all the effects of the nerve agents (it inhibit excessive salivation and secretions of the respiratory tract, reduces the possibility of trioventricular nodal blockage because, also decreases the irritating effect of organic vapours, etc).
Manual[]
- tear up the cellophane packing and pull out the ampoule
- screw in the ribbed cap
- grab the ribbed part hard with the left hand (with thumb and forefinger) and first push in (to pierce the sealed cap) then pull out, and throw away
- hold the ampoule in the right hand pointing with the needle askew down then pierce the skin with it and inject in the antidote by pressing the ampoule
- pull out the ampoule while it is still pressed
KÉPA D[]
The case is black and the ampoules are containing 5% dolargan tincture (its effect is similar to atropine but at the same time it is a morphine-like painkiller too).
References[]
- Munkásőrség: Kézikönyv az alegységparancsnokok felkészüléséhez (book-1980)