MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE ABSTRACTS OF UNEVALUATED INFORMATION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 01162417
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2020
• Case Number: F-2020-00284
• Publication Date: November 21, 1951

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S � C R. X T
MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE ABSTRACTS
OF
UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
CIA/SI 25.28-51
21 Novetber 1951.
WARNING: This document contains information affect�
ing the national defense of the United States, within
the meaning of Title 18, Sections 793 and 7940 of the
U. S. Code, as amended. Its transmission or revela�
tion of its contents to or receipt by an unauthorized
person is prohibited by law.
CECRET
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SC RE
1. SovZone (Germany) Plant Switches Drug Production to Military Needs.
FBIS� Western Europe
Near East, No. 185, It was announced on September 11 that the
Se t 1 1 Soviet Control Commission instructed the
State-awned Pharma plant, formerly the
Shering plant, in Berlin-Adlershof to
switch its present production program to pharmaceuticals especially
needed by the Armed Forces Medical Service. Production of drugs
for civilian use will have to be further curtailed. The bulk
of Pharma's production has been sent to North Korea for some
time and these shipments will be further increased.
ANALYST'S COMMRNT: It is
reported that "At the end of August 1951, teooveZone
drug output was only /43% of pre-war. This is quite inadequate
to meet East Zone requirements of essential medical supplies."
This is possibly true because of the extensive attempt to
im-
port drugs, the reported shortages and the increasing quantities
of German-made drugs that have been among captured enemy materials
in Korea. Even so, latest reports of captured enemy medical
supplies indicate a predominance of U. S. origin, largely anti-
biotics, vaccines, insulin and sulfa drugs, with moderate quan-
tities of Swiss and German origin.
2. Plans to Provide Medical Supplies and Personnel frau' Communist
ME to Viet Minh Areas.
F-FBIS, FAR EAST, No. 206
lb ct 1 1 RED GEN. CHEN KENG, Governor of Yunnan
and concurrently commander-in-chief of
the "Volunteers" earmarked for� Indo-
china intervention, flew to Nanning from Yunnan October 5 for
a 3-day secret military conference with Red high brass in South
and Southwest China, according to reports published by the
China Union Press. Among decisions reached at this high-level
discussion: Provide medical personnel and supplies for future
needs.
ANALYST'S COMMENT: This con-
firms several reports indicating sipjortofTViet Mmli forces
by Chinese Communist Forces. Other reports stated the establish-
ment of about 5 or 6 (or more) large military hospitals in South
China near the Tonkin-Laos border for use by the Viet Minh forces.
As spelled out in this report, it infers a stockpiling measure
of medical supplies. On the basis of the foregoing in support
of this report, it is evaluated as probably true.
SECRE'17/
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C-B -11-B-T//7
Chinese Obliged to Manufacture Penicillin on Large Scale
Because of U. .-Enbargo.
It was recently reported in a Shanghai
newspaper that the Chinese Pharmaceutical
Industry has been obliged to undertake the
manufacture of drugs previously obtained
from the U. S. The Shanghai People's Pharmaceutical Company has
begun producing penicillin on a big-scale since the curtailment
of penicillin imported from the U. S. The manufacture of peni-
cillin by Chinese chemists was effected by the technical staff
of the Penicillin Testing Department of the East China People's
Drug Company. In the course of experimentation, chemical analysts
selected bacteria of the olive-shaped Q176 type. Since China is
not producing refined corn syrup, which is the principal culture
base of foreign-made penicillin, cottonseed cakes, lactose, and
glucose are being used as substitutes. The method of "heavy
juice" culture is being used to produce the incubated solution
containing the penicillin which is refined and crystalized into
the final product, and reportedly meets international specifica-
tions.
ANALYST'S COMMENT: In spite of the in-
creasingly tight blockade, enormous quantities of strategic anti-
biotics are reaching the Chinese. The drugs captured in Korea
are still predominantly Anerican. Their own sources of pharma-
ceuticals are still wholly inadequate. This may represent an
attempt to become independent in the event of total hostilities
and complete blockade. Even though this is the first report
of large-scale production of antibiotics, there are reports of
hospitals buying Chinese-manufactured penicillin and for this
reason the report is judged as possibly true.
S E C R-B.dr/
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5. Shortage of Drugs in Hungary.
During the week of 16-21 July, district
medical meetings were held by the Ministry
of Public Health. The meetings were
attended by district doctors, surgeons,
and dentists, who were informed that, in
view of the shortage of drugs, they would not be authorized to
prescribe any drugs above the value of 10 forints without special
permission. They were also told that they must check daily with
their local druggists to find out what supplies were available for
that day.
ANALYST'S COMMENT:
the shortage of drugs in Hungary despite
the large number of imports and increased production. /t is
known that the products of certain factories go to the Soviet
and Hungarian armies. Hun:a also shies dru- 0; �'.. -
Communists.
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