Some good news. It looks like the plants will survive and carry on. From beneath the level of the first branches I cut and what I've trimmed subsequently, a lot of new growth has erupted from many nodes. Although most of it is still small, it appears all of it is normal and not deformed.
Many more of my plants had lighter damage so the vapor traveled quite a ways. I did learn something interesting from the farmer. He told me an opened jug of 2,4-DB can be left on the upwind side of a cotton field and the vapor will kill plants all the way across the field. It's some nasty stuff for susceptible plants.