Thoughts (06/07/2018) on Mystery Illness affecting diplomats in Cuba and China 


https://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFKCN1J232K


Hypothesis: possible cause container of frozen nitrogen released into rooms while inhabitants slept. The metal noise could be the tank being accessed and gas released.  High concentrations of nitrogen can produce "the bends" in divers. Theoretically nitrogen released into a closed room could produce similar symptoms of "the bends" involving fatigue, achiness, mental confusion and brain injuries especially with individuals sleeping in a relatively closed confined place.


Selection from linked article:

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2001/0601/p2211.html

"Decompression sickness is caused by the release of inert gas bubbles (usually nitrogen) into the bloodstream and tissues after ambient pressure is reduced.2–5,10 At depth, the partial pressures of gasses in the breathing mixture increase in proportion to the ambient pressure, according to Dalton's law.6 Although oxygen is actively metabolized, nitrogen is inert and becomes dissolved in body tissues until saturation, proportional to the ambient pressure as defined by Henry's law.6 The propensity for the formation of nitrogen bubbles depends on the depth of the dive, the length of time at depth and the rate of ascent. If ambient pressure is released too quickly, the dissolved nitrogen gas that cannot remain in solution will form air bubbles within the blood, interstitial fluids and organ."


My Conclusions:
My education in chemistry, physics, even biology is only at 1st year college level. Thus my conclusions are no doubt in error. However, not sure how nitrogen could be accidentally accessed and released. However as this gas is not considered a weapon, international laws against chemical/gas  poisons would probably not be legally applicable. As there is no use to large concentrations nitrogen being pumped into rooms (air conditioning malfunction?) that would mean that this activity would unfortunately equate to a military attack on non-combatants. If so, what is the end game of this unfriendly action? Would authorities in Cuba and China be aware of this activity?