MEDICAL FACILITIES AT GORODOMLYA ISLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001600280006-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 22, 2003
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 24, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY USSR (Kalinin Oblast)
SUBJECT Medical Fe cilities . at Gorod=ly* Island
25X1 DATE OF INFO.
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Food Shy
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthsrised person is prohibited
by liaw. The reprgduotlpn of this Win to prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE,
THE APPRAISAL OP CONTENT 1S TENTATIVE,
(FOR KEY sit REVERSE)
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24 September 1953
1. The supply of food at Gorodsimlya Island was generally low. Butter, meat,
eggs, and sugar were usually scarce. Meat and eggs were usually purchased. in
an open market place in the nearby city of Ostashkov. The kinds of meat
available were beef, pork, and veal. The Soviets did not like liver and this
was.regularly available to the Germans. The meat vendors never sold special
cuts of cheat; but simply hacked off a piece. of meat from the. carcase, ac-
cording to the quantity c -sired'by'th purchaser. Fish was.caught by the
native soviet inhabitants and i?dld at4the house door to the institute com-
munity. Fish available in the! market were herring,, perch, and tench.
2. T}ae -ursual meal of the inhabitants consisted of bread,,. babbage, soup and tea.
The bread was either black, mixed black and white? or., rarely, white. The
bread,. contained a high,percennta a of water. Vodka was commonly drunk by
t3io Soviets, who always had a supply available.
Milk was generally supplied in large cans to the communIt , Two Germans
then sold the milk to the other 'German people. The milk.. and especially
the creath,was e~ccellent, but it w z pt pasteurized. Sunflower seed oil
was the most common cooking fat:
The food stores were not clean, except in the city, of Moscow,. there a high
standard was maintained. On the island and in the city of Ostashkov, the
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standard of cleanliness maintained by police inspection was law. Food in-
spection.laws existed and presumably were enforced. Only meat which bore a
stamp could be sold. I know #o further details about food quality control.
I .recall that refrigeration units were being installed in the food store at
the time of my departure from the island. Formerly food cooling 'was not
available.
Housing facilities.on the island were crowded. Usually four people were
aigned to one room. However those people who had the more important jobs
were sometimes given more space, for example, one room for two people. The
space shortage was never alleviated. Houses were generally quite clean,.
except for the insects. No screens were supplied,, and the people sometimes
used paper screens.
iseaees
61$1 I do not have detailed knowledge on this subject., nor am I qualified to describe
"
were
disease conditions. I recall that malaria, tuberculosis, and "jaundice
occasionally repotted. I kizow of no dysentery outbreak. I never heard of
animal cdiseases, in particular anthrax, brucellosis, tuberculosis, or rabies,
nor can I recall any animal diseases having been discussed. A scarlet fever
epidemic occurred sometime during my stay. Worm parasite infestation was a
very common complaint.
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I!!l.di. Kcal Caro
The community had a pplyclinic located on the island. This pplyclinic was in
a-wooden building,, 1$? ,?c 10 m. It had two conference rooms, a dental room, a
supply room, and rooms for eight or ten beds. An X-ray instrument was available
for use in .the polyclinic. In general this building was kept in a.clean con- 25X1
dition.
10. In addition to the plolycl1nic there was a kindergarten which had three
or four rooms. Children were left here by their working parents during the
day. The kindergarten had "about twelve beds for use by the children. In
general the food given to-the children here was of good quality,, and it was
generally believed that the kindergarten :waa well run.
11. The island had no special hospital for communicable diseases and such cases
would normally be referred to Ostashkov where isolation was possible.
12. I have never beard of a sanitary epidemological station, nor of public health
districts under their Huasian.or German-language equivalent names. I.recall
hearing that there were i$ ber-type physicians. working in.Ostashkov.
13. I can give no information on public health activities. Once or twice a year
the employees at the factory, were requested to have their blgvd tested, this
Vas done by taking :a drop.of blood from the finger. I can give no further
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details about this type of test. Once the workers received an injection
in the upper back, presumably against malaria. I myself was never immunized
because I deliberately avoided the order to appear before the immunizing
.personnel.
14'.. Workers in the institute had no real authority to improve safety conditions,
even through workers' representatives. It was my impression that the
authorities did not give much attention to the welfare of the workers,. nor
their safety, but this is only a general opinion. I know that extra.rations
were authorized for workers in dangerous jobs.
Medical Supplies
15. I have no knowledge of the availability of medical supplies in the area.
I know that Ostashkov had some penicillin, and that drugs were in short
supply, but I cannot give more details.
16. I believe a blood donor service existed and the blood tests taken at the
institute may have been designed for the purpose of registering possible
donors.
BW
17. I have no knowledge of BW activities, nor of defense activities in this
field in the area around Ostashkov.
Insects and Animals
18. The area was plagued with an unbelievable number of bt}gs and mosquitoes.
Spiders were also very common. This insect problem was probably heightened
by the fact that we lived in a wild forest. region, surrounded by trees.
Nothing was done, in an organized manner, to get rid of the insect pests.
I recall that spraying was done once or twice a year, and I believe DDT
was available for this spraying process, but it was ineffective. I used
vinegar, which was somewhat helpful in getting rid of the pests. Kerosene
was also available but was not of much use.
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19. I recall one occasion when a person was bitten by a snake which was poisonous,
but I cannot give any description of the snake. The island had very many
mice, but frw rats. The community maintained many cats. The region had
many wolves and in the cold weather these animals were seen on the island.
The inhhbitants were warned of the possibility of attacks by wolves on the
journey to Peski. Bears could sometimes be seen in the distance. Elk,
were epmmonly seen, and an ordinance prohibited the shooting of the elk:,
in order to preserve these animals. Many stray dogs lived in the area,
but they were of no particular breed. I know of no poisonous or dangerous
fish in the lake.
20. I know. of no poisonous or allergenic plants. Some poisonous mushrooms were
growing in the area, but I know of no cases of mushroom poisoning.
Watbr Supply
21. The water supply for the inhabitants of Gorodomlya Island was from a small
lake on the island. A water tower was located next to the power station,
but I do not know-whether this tower supplied water only to the power
station or to the community as well. It was cprnonly believed that a
filter station was to be installed, but at the time of my departure this
had not yet been done. The water was dirty in summer and contained worms
and small fish.
22. All of the houses in the community were supplied by pipes from the water
system, and this was obtained by pumps from the pond. I do not believe
wells were used. No chemical treatment of the water was carried on to
my knowledge, and the water was boiled before use, although not everyone
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did so. The supply was.adequate for the people's needs, even during the
summer months.
.23. A small community of original inhabitants of the island, separated from
the institute community by the small lake referred to above, . obtained their
water from wells.
Waste Disposal
24. The institute houses had water closets which discharged into a disposal
system. I do not know how the wastes were eventually removed, but recall
that a settling basin was located next to the testing-office of the
institute. It is.possible that the waste sewage was eventually discharged
into the small lake from which the drinking water was obtained, but I am
uncertain about this point. I do recall that waste water from diesel
motors on the island was discharged into the small lake. All houses in
the community were served by the public disposal system. The native village
across the small lake had outdoor latrines.
25. I do not recall that the island had a special garbage collection,organiza-
titan, and the method of disposal of garbage was not known to me. I do
not know whether fecal wastes were used as fertilizer in the area.
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