Central Asian Resorts

CENTRAL ASIAN RESORTS. On the territory of Central Asia, i.e., within Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kara-Kalpakia and Kirgizia, there are many different resort resources; of these, only some have been developed so far. The operating resorts in Turkmenistan are three: 1. The mud resort Molla-Kara, 5 km from the station Jebel, in the sandy dunes of Kara-Kum, on the shore of a salt lake (an old channel of the Amu-Darya), at the bottom of which lie layers of therapeutic mud; chemical composition of the brine according to Kurlov-Karstens: ^Na63Ca¹ - Climate, typical for deserts: abundant solar radiation, great dryness of air, summer heat, moderated by winds: average annual temperature 16.8°, relative humidity during the day for the year 37%, clear days 123, sum of precipitation for the year 69 mm. Balneological installations: mud bathhouse with solarium for receiving mud baths of solar heating, brine bathhouse, bathing in the lake. Premises - 4 barracks with capacity up to 170 beds. All buildings require major repairs. The resort is electrified; there is no water supply or sewerage. Drinking water is delivered in tanks. There is no mountain-sanitary protection. Method of treatment - general mud baths (10-15 in 4 weeks), as well as brine baths. Indications for treatment - usual for mud resorts. Season - from May 15 to September 15. 2. Archma balneological resort (height above sea level, approx. 120 m), 8 km (bus) from the station of the same name; among the steppe plain at the spurs of Kopet-Dag. On the bridge of emergence of hydrogen sulfide springs (uncapped) a small lake has formed; composition of lake water according to Kurlov-Karstens: _NaCl₅₇SO₄,HCO₃,_Ca2,_Mg2 Water contains H₂S up to 0.013 g per 1 l and free gases, mainly nitrogen and rare gases (up to 9%). Climate in summer is dry and warm with negligible precipitation and significant radiation. There are no balneological devices. There are 4 new buildings (for 185 beds). The resort is electrified; there is no water supply or sewerage; malaria occurs. Boundaries of mountain-sanitary protection have been established. Method of treatment: bathing in the lake 3 times a day for 15 minutes, course of treatment - 30 days, Indications for treatment are the same as for Pyatigorsk (see). Season - from May 15 to September 15. 3. Bajram-Ali climatic resort for kidney patients, opened on the initiative of Prof. V. A. Alexandrov in 1933, is located at an altitude of 141 m, on the railroad, 28 km from Merv, on the former tsarist Murgab estate. The sanatorium is located in a beautiful park (50 ha), in the former palace, electrified; therapeutic value of the resort - in the climate of deserts (Merv oasis of Kara-Kum), approaching in the warm half-year to the climate of Egypt, but differing from it by the presence of more sharp fluctuations of air temperature and absence of warm winter. Main features of the climate of Bajram-Ali: high radiation (intensity up to 1.5 cal. in 1 min. per 1 cm² and duration of sunshine up to 3,000 hours per year), enormous dryness of air (average relative humidity from April to October inclusive varies from 33% to 67%), clear days per year 184, average air temperature per year 15.0°, precipitation 121 mm per year. These properties of the climate serve as the means of influence on kidney patients. Indications: persistent albuminuria, chronic nephroses and nephrites without sharply impaired functions and uremia, non-sharp forms of nephrosclerosis without high blood pressure and without decompensation, bilateral tuberculosis of the kidneys. Duration of treatment - 2-3 months. Season - from April to November. In Kirgizia at the present time 6 resorts are operating. 1. Of greatest importance is the best equipped in Central Asia climatic-balneological resort Djalal-Abad (975 m) with a picturesque view of the Kugart valley and an extensive park 5 km from the station. Climate: average annual temperature 14.3°, July 26.8°, average amplitude of July 9.9°, relative humidity in summer - 30-32%, cloudiness per year - 42, clear days per year - 138, precipitation per year - 425 mm, wind speed per year - approx. 1 m per sec. There are more than 30 thermal mineral springs; chemical composition of spring No. 2, supplying the bathing building: Almost all waters contain a small amount of H₂S (up to 0.0018 per 1 l), in the freely released gases there is up to 96% of inert gases, radioactivity is negligible (up to 6.8 units of Mache per 1 l). 3 km away - Shor-Bulak springs of salt type with mineralization up to 29.0 g per 1 l. The resort has a bathing building for 10 cabins, solarium with pool and a number of pavilions for 200 patients; there is water supply, but no sewerage; boundaries of protection of springs are established; no malaria. Methods of treatment: mineral baths of natural heating, bathing in pools, drinking mineral water for stomach patients, sun and air baths. Main indications: patients with diseases of the motor organs, kidneys, liver, stomach, metabolism, skin, female genital organs, nervous system. Season - from June 1 to October 1; duration of treatment - 1 month. 2. Issyk-Ata - high-altitude (1,775 m) and balneological resort, communication with Frunze (45 km) on a dirt road; the resort is located on the northern slope of the Kirgiz Ala-Tau; the climate of this area is little studied; solar radiation is great. The current significance of the resort is in its springs (23 gryphons); all of them are weakly mineralized (less than 1 g per 1 l), warm (from 36° to 48°), weakly radioactive (up to 5.5 units of Mache), contain free gases (up to 78% by volume of nitrogen); chemical composition of spring No. 15: Na₂SO₄,Mg₂,Ca₂,HCO₃,Cl₂,T₄₈SO₄. There is a new bathing building, buildings for 250 patients, dining room, electric lighting; there is no water supply or sewerage; no malaria. Methods of treatment: baths from thermal springs. Season - from June 15 to September 15; course of treatment - 1 month. Main indications: diseases of the motor organs, female sphere, nervous system, skin, metabolism, catarrhs of the respiratory tract. 3. High-altitude (2,200 m) and balneological resort Dzheti-Oguz, the most picturesque in Central Asia, is located on the northern slope of the Tersey-Alatau range; communication with Karakol on a dirt road (28 km). Climate is little studied. The current significance of the resort is in its 5 mineral springs, hot (37-43°), strongly radioactive (207-248 units of Mache) and mineralized (up to 13.7 g per 1 l) with a total flow of 2.8 sec./l; in composition they belong to the salt-sulfate type with a negligible admixture of hydrogen sulfide, release free gas (nitrogen 93%). The resort has a bathing building, buildings for patients (for 100 people), dining room; no water supply or sewerage. Methods of treatment - mineral baths of natural heating and drinking of springs. Indications are approximately the same as for Issyk-Ata. Season - from June 10 to September 10, course of treatment at the resort 30 days. 4. High-altitude (1,920 m) and balneological resort Ak-Su is located in a narrow forested (Tien Shan fir) gorge of the northern slope of Tersey-Alatau; connected with Karakol by a wheel road (15 km), descent to the resort goes by a staircase of 300 steps. Climate is little studied, radiation reaches 1.6 cal. per 1 cm² in 1 min. The current significance of the resort is in 8 warm (34-44°) springs (uncapped). Some springs are radioactive (up to 90 units of Mache), mineralized (up to 0.4 g per 1 l). There are several primitive baths, barracks for 60 patients; no amenities. Method of treatment - mineral baths of natural heating. Indications are the same as for Issyk-Ata. Season - from May 1 to October 10. 5. Resort Koysara (1,580 m) is located on the southern shore of Issyk-Kul, 15 km from the pier of Karakol, the beach is fine-sandy, the bottom is sloping with a gradual incline; picturesque landscape, high-altitude and lakeside climate (a rare combination). Water temperature in the lake in summer up to 24°, solar radiation up to 1.62 cal. The resort is well-equipped. New buildings with all amenities (for 250 people). Therapeutic means: mountain-sea air, air, sun and sand baths, bathing in the lake, kumys. Season - from June 15 to September 15. Indications: tuberculosis of lungs, joints, bones, urinary system, anemia, nervous diseases, rickets, scrofula. 6. Climatic station Osh (1,023 m), near the ancient city of the same name, in the foothills of the Alai range, is located outside the city in a forest; new rest houses built in 1929-30 accommodate up to 500 people. Climate: average annual temperature 11.6°, July 24.9°, January -2.7°; relative humidity July - 49%, January - 70% and annual - 63%; cloudiness July - 33, January - 51, annual - 42; clear days in the year 131; precipitation per year 333 mm, often calm, especially in winter. Therapeutic means: transitional climate from medium-altitude to high-altitude and kumys. Season all year round. Indications general for climatic stations at an altitude of about 1,000 m.

Uzbekistan currently has no functioning resorts, however certain of its localities are used in a primitive manner by the local population; among them the following deserve attention: Kara-Tyube (former military-climatic station), 35 km from Samarkand, at an altitude of 1,220 m - a mountain station without malaria. Shahimardan, 50 km south of Fergana, on the northern slope of the Alai range, at an altitude of about 1,300 m; construction of a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients has begun; picturesque surroundings. Vail-climate, station 24 km from Fergana on the road to Shahimardan, a dacha place. Agalyk, 15 km from Samarkand, at an altitude of about 1,000 m in a mountain gorge. Of mineral springs should be noted: Pedau, 20 km southwest of the Serovo station, at the foot of the Ferganian stage, at an altitude of 320 m; the springs belong to the sulfur-sulfate-calcium type, temperature 21.7-26°, mineralization - up to 2.8 g per 1 liter, H₂S is contained in the amount of 0.020 g per 1 liter. Shur spring, 16 km south of the city of Katta-Kurgan, in the spurs of the Gissar range, of the previous type, with temperature 21°, contains H₂S up to 0.053 g per 1 liter. Ab-Shifa - sulfur mineral waters, 80 km from Kokand. T-Alay spring - sulfur in the Fergana region, at an altitude of 1,500 m. Arasan-Burak - hot spring with a solid residue of 0.2 g per 1 liter, in the valley of the Angren River, in the Tashkent region. Zarkent spring - in the same region, 56 km from Tashkent, at an altitude of 880 m; contains table salt. Among the lakes should be noted: the mud lake Tuzkhan, 45 km northwest of the Dzhizak station (altitude 240 m), 26 km long, 12 km wide; the brine contains 190.0 g NaCl per 1 liter; huge reserves of mud. Lake Khadzham-Sayat (Khadzha-Dovlet), 69 km from the station of the same name in a desert area, 1.5 km by 0.5 km in size, dries up in summer, in spring and autumn there is brine and a little mud (not studied). Dalverzin mud lakes of the steppe of the same name; the road goes through Khodzhent, some have small reserves of mud. Lake Bakhmal in the Namangan region; brine contains 276 g of salts per 1 liter. Lake Kara-Kul, 24 km west of Tashkent, bitter-saline, area up to 1.5 km². Lake Dam-Kul (area 44 km²) in the Fergana valley, between Namangan and Kokand, of the saline type. Lake Achi-Kul at an altitude of 872 m, south of Tashkent, area 0.25 km²; the water of the lake contains up to 7 g of salts per 1 liter. All the mentioned points are little studied. Also poor in terms of existing resorts is the Tajik republic, however here there are many localities which in the future can turn into resorts; many of them are known among the local population: Ura-Tyube, a district center, is located in the foothills of the Turkestan range, 48 km (bus) from the Khavayet station (former Urstaevskaya), altitude 1,140 m, numerous gardens and vineyards (up to 25 varieties of grapes), kumys. Value in the climate: average annual temperature 11.9°, July 20.1°, January -3.2°; relative humidity annual 52%, July 38%, January 72%; cloudiness per year 3.3, July 1.6, January 4.0, clear days per year 167, precipitation per year 267 mm. Sulfur springs of the Varz-Ob valley (Khadzha-Obi-Garm) are located 45 km north of Stalinabad, with temperature 40-80°, at an altitude of 1,795 m, on the southern slopes of the Gissar range. The mud lake Aksykent (Aksukan, Aksukoi) on the right bank of the Syr-Darya, 70 km northeast of Khodzhent, 30 km from the Poyetovka station, area 8.9 km²; dry and hot climate, reserves of mud (of excellent quality) about 58,000 tons. Kara-Kalpakia currently has no resorts.