One unexpected and beneficial byproduct of World War II is a method of chemotherapy that undoubtedly is here to stay, at least for some years. This statement refers to the use of nitrogen mustards as palliative agents for certain types of malignant neoplastic processes. While these agents may be said to have failed to measure up to early hopes for them, they have, nevertheless, in a few types of cancer, become well nigh indispensable because of the prompt palliation which they afford. History When, early in World War II, it became known that the nitrogenous analogues of mustard gas were under consideration as possible warfare agents, the Chemical Warfare Service set about producing them in quantity and studying their effects intensively. It was soon noted that not only are the nitrogen mustards strong vesicants, but that their systemic absorption in animals results in toxic actions in tissues, generally in proportion to the degree of rapidity of cellular growth in those tissues. Particularly subject to da...