MEDICAL CONDITIONS IN THE AZERBAYDZHAN SSR AND DAGESTAN ASSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R012700240010-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 9, 2013
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: February 6, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700240010-1
FEB 1952
CLASSIFICATION
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
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50X1-HUM
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT
COUNTRY USSR (Azerbaydzhan SSR/Dagestan ASSR)
SUBJECT Medical Conditions In the Azerbaydzhan SSR
and Dagestan ASSR
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE
ACQUIRED
CD NO.
DATE DISTR. 6 February 1953
NO, OF PAGES 3
NO. OF ENCLS.1
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 1E1, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF, THIS FORM 1.5...FR011.1,1_3_1TO!
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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The city of Baku is situated about 20 meters below sea-level. The climate is
dry and sub-tropical. From spring until fall there is no rain, and the
weather is very hot, approaching 40?C. Sand-storms are common and generally
come from the southwest. The winters are very cold and bitter winds blow
in from the Caspian Sea.
Frostbite was common during the winter,for which ichthyol ointment was used
and occasionally potassium permanganate. The Soviets had no valid reason
for the use of permanganate except that it was available. It was used widely
as a disinfectant.
The incidence of infectious diseases in the Baku area.
a. Malaria was common and was primarily tertian0
diagnose the type of malaria at times because
forms; however, cases
The Soviets treated all cases with akrikhin.
It was difficult to
of the occurrerzeof mixed
were tropical malaria 50X1-HUM
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b. No typhus was observed.
co Tuberculosis occurred among the PWs,who then either died or were
back to Germany. The extent of tuberculosis among the civilians
difficult to ascertain.
d. Very little hepatitis was observed.
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Dl SIR I BUT ION
ARMY #
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e. Venereal diseases were very uncommon0
Bacillau dysentery was seen, but no amoebic form was reported.
Trachoma was absent.
Typhoid and paratyphoid cases were seen, but no serious outbreaks occurred.
Dystrophy was not seen, nor was any avitaminosis observed among the civil
population.
j. Scabies was not observed.
k. Influenza or diptheria was not encountered.
1. No tularemia, brucellosis, plague, or cholera was observed.
Anthrax was alleged to have been widespread in Azerbaydzhart, in 1946.
n. Ascariasis and tsenia infestation was very common among the civil population.
o. No epidemics occurred
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4. The incidence of animal diseases was not known. The cattle appeared very
resistant to infection and camels, a common beast of burden in the area, were
equally hardy.
5. Jackals were the only wild animals observed*
6.
two kinds of scorpions0
color,and poisonous; it was rarely seen0
colored, and non-poisonous; its bite had
were also poisonous snakes and spiders.
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One was about 12 cm0 long, black in
The other was smaller in size, honey-.
the intensity of a wasp sting. There
Rats and mice infested the area.
7. No poisonous plants were ever seen or reported. Vegetation in the area was
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very sparse.
8. Food in Baku and Makhachkala was in poor supply for the first part
Fish was commonly eaten, but meat was rare. Cereals, beets, sauerkraut,
green tomatoes, and cucumbers were the general fare. The food shortage became
less severe as time went on and the civilians apparently were not in want.
Makhachkala was a fruit area and produced apples, pears, and peaches. Corn
was grown at Baku. 50X1-HUM
9. Baku was also a cotton-growing district0
bandage or surgical cotton was manufactured0
no idea where Soviet
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10. Water supply in Baku was supplied by pipes. Wells were very rare in the city
area and water was brought in from higher ground outside the city. The well-water
itself had an oily taste. No treatment of drinking water was ever required.
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u
three Soviet doctors who served as physicians for
the PWs.. The first was Putzova (fnu)? a woman doctor,
who had 50X1-HUM
allegedly studied in Moscow0
Another doctor,
was Oelbaum (Thu)0 A third doctor was Hollander (fnu).
These three persons had not received a good medical education, and apparently
were graduated from sub-professional schools, since their training was equi-
valent to that of a German medical corpsman.
12. Medical supplies included aspirin, pyramidon, ether, ethyl
chloride, disulfan, sulfidin, and white streptocide; bandages were not in
good supply but the Soviet bandages available were very good.
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13.
14..
15.
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The Soviet soldiers and PWs were immunized twice a year with what
a combined hexavaccine (typhoid, typhus, dysentery, tetanus, an
paratyphoid A and B) administered once in the spring and in the fall,
population did not receive this immunization.
it was quite easy to transfer diseases across the Soviet- 50X1-HUM
Iranian border, because of the wild terrain at the border. Nakhichevan had a
population of about 10,000, which was readily susceptible to infection from
border crossers whose movements could not be controlled.
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The 50X1-HUM
Nothing was known concerning the existence of any medical training schools in
Baku or in any of the areas 50X1-HUM
an alleged research institute
about 500 meters from the railroad station. The institute appeared to be in
a restricted area.
16. German physicians were permitted to visit Soviet civilian hospitals only on
rare occasions to treat PWs, la policy of setting aside a 50X1-HUM
section of a civilian hospital for the use of PWs, who were administered to 1
by German doctors. 50X1-HUM
17. There were several hospitals in Baku, one for the Army (in the area near
position 1 on Attachment), one for the Navy (position 2), and one for the civil
population (not located). The navy hospital was described as "large" and had
new German X-ray equipment.
18. , a dysentery epidemic
had broken out at the PW Camp. It was said that the Soviets brought in an
entire field hospital to prevent the spreading of the epidemic. This effort
was successful and the field hospital was ,subsequently withdrawn.
19. In Baku, next to the FW camp was an installation which housed an army
sanitary group (size not known). An old castle-like building, 50 meters by
50 meters,was used as a medical supply depot. (Its location is shown at
position 1 on Attachment). The Soviet army sanitary group was housed in
barracks about 1 kilometer from the supply depot. These barracks had water
and sewage facilities, natural gas supply (for heating and cooking), and
electric light.
20.
21.
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the Soviet railroad workers at Makhachkala had a clinic 50X1-HUM
of their own, located in several stone-houses about 50-60 meter b from the
railroad-line, and about one kilometer north and west of the railroad station.
There were separate sections for surgery, infectious diseases, and internal
medicine, each in an individual house. the Soviets paid 50X1-HUM
considerable deference to railroad workers, as was reflected in better pay,
better clothing, and better medical facilities,
there was also a civilian hospital in Makhachkala, and
an army hospital, lthe army forces stationed in the city as
large in number, but could give no exact figure.
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Attachment: Sketch of the area mentioned in this report.
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'
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Attachment
Scale: 1100 000
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Caspian Sea
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/07/09: CIA-RDP82-00457R012700240010-1