Nettle agents or urticants are a variety of chemical warfare agent that produces corrosive skin and tissue injury upon contact, resulting in erythema, urticaria, intense itching and a hive-like rash.
Most nettle agents, such as the best known and studied nettle agent, phosgene oxime, are often grouped with the vesicant (blister agent) chemical agents. However, because nettle agents do not cause blisters, they are not true vesicants.
Famous quotes containing the words nettle and/or agent:
“Out of this nettle danger we pluck this flower safety.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“The agent never receipts his bill, puts his hat on and bows himself out. He stays around forever, not only for as long as you can write anything that anyone will buy, but as long as anyone will buy any portion of any right to anything that you ever did write. He just takes ten per cent of your life.”
—Raymond Chandler (1888–1959)