YALTA

YALTA, a seaside resort on the southern coast of Crimea with a warm, moderately humid climate. Located at 44°30' north latitude and 34°11' east longitude on the shore of an open, deep-water bay of the Black Sea, in a basin surrounded on three sides (north, northeast, and west) by an amphitheater of mountains of the Yaila Range. Y. is connected by an automobile road with Simferopol (95 km) and Sevastopol (85 km). Between the latter and Y. there is also regular steamer service. The climate of Y. is determined by the peculiarities of the terrain, the proximity of the sea and mountains covered with forests. Fluctuations of the main meteorological elements in Y. by month of year—see Crimean resorts. The temperature of the air in summer months is within 20-24°. In terms of temperature, summer is comparable to summer in Kharkov and on the middle Volga. With altitude, temperature decreases. From the shore of the sea to the summit of the Yaila, a distance of 7-8 km in a straight line, up to 8 climatic zones are observed. At an altitude of 300-400 m, the air temperature decreases by 3-4°, which is equivalent to moving north by 800-900 km. The average annual temperature on the Yaila corresponds to the air temperature of Kursk, and the average annual temperature of Y. at the sea shore (13.2°) approaches the average temperature of southern France, the Italian Riviera, Venice, Nice, and Naples. In summer (in July and August) there are on average 14-15 hot days with temperature of 30-32°. The average duration of sunshine is about 6 hours per day. The number of hours of sunshine per year is 2,500-2,600 (in Nice—2,700 hours). Autumn is the best time of year in Y. This period coincides with the remarkable for Y. so-called grape season (from 1/IX to 1/XI). By relative humidity (68-70%), Y. belongs to a moderately humid climate. Y. has a sharply expressed Mediterranean type of annual precipitation cycle. Rainy days in Y. per year—69. Most rains occur in November and December. Fogs occur mainly during the spring rise and autumn fall of temperature. On average there are 11 days with fogs. Completely clear days in Y. average 70 (in the cold half of the year 21, in the warm—49). Snowy days range from 14 to 29, and snow melts quickly. Barometric pressure of air usually fluctuates from 755.9 to 764.1. The average annual temperature of the Black Sea is higher than the average summer temperature of the Baltic Sea, and in the summer period it equals the temperature of the Mediterranean Sea. The bathing season in Yalta continues from June to October. The coastal strip of Yalta consists, with small exceptions, of narrow beaches composed of pebbles, which in some places mixes with gravel. The speed of winds in Y. is usually small: 2-3 meters per second, with the exception of rare storms. The prevailing winds are north-westerlies blowing from the mountain tops; north-easters are weaker and rarer. In general, windy days in Y. range from 51 to 78 per year with wind speed in most cases 3-4 meters per second. Thus, by the combination of all meteorological elements, Y. is a first-class climatic station along with the best resorts of the West. After the Sovietization of Crimea, Y., like other seaside resorts, began to develop rapidly. The resort and sanatorium fund has significantly increased. Instead of 5 charitable sanatoriums with 169 beds and several private sanatoriums, thousands of beds now function in sanatoriums and rest homes where tens of thousands of workers of the USSR are treated. In Y. there are sanatoriums operating year-round for diseases of the upper respiratory tract and lungs, both tuberculous and non-tuberculous. Sanatoriums have also been allocated for certain forms of nervous, heart diseases and metabolic diseases. In 1922, a Tuberculosis Institute was organized, and in 1928, the N. A. Semashko Climate-Physiotherapy Institute. From 1932, both institutes were united into one Institute of Medical Climatology and Climatotherapy, which is the scientific center of the resorts of the Southern coast of Crimea. For the treatment of outpatients, there is a resort polyclinic with auxiliary medical institutions (electro-light therapy, X-ray, sea baths, beach and special offices). In recent years, great work has been done on the improvement of Y. Road and park facilities, water supply, sewerage and lighting network have been significantly improved, etc. Zones of mountain-sanitary protection have been established. In 1931, a mud therapy clinic was organized in Yalta. Combined treatment is applied: helio- and thalassotherapy, mud therapy, sea baths and artificial carbonic sea baths and grape therapy. Indications for treatment in Y.: 1. TUBERCULOSIS. A. For the summer period from 15/IV to 15/XI: a) subacute and chronic serous pleurisy and peritonitis of tuberculous nature without clearly expressed pulmonary tissue damage; b) tuberculosis of lymph glands of superficial and deep, without extensive suppurations, without hectic fever and without signs of cachexia; c) tuberculosis of joints and bones without extensive suppurations, without high fever and cachexia (only in the State Institute of Medical Climatology and Climatotherapy and in specialized bone-tuberculosis sanatoriums); d) tuberculosis of the genitourinary system: kidneys, bladder, testicles, uterus, its appendages, without hectic fever and without cachexia; e) tuberculosis of the skin (in the department of the Institute); f) for children (diseases listed in items a and b).-B. For the autumn, winter and spring season from 15/IX to 15/VI: a) tuberculosis of the lungs, subacute and chronically progressive, stationary and subsiding of all three stages according to Turban-Gerhardt and with moderate spread in both lungs or even total unilateral lesions, treated with little success or unsuccessfully in place; b) tuberculosis of the lungs, complicated by secondary bronchitis, not amenable to cure in place; c) tuberculosis of the lungs in the presence of chronic catarrh of the upper respiratory tract (rhinopharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, etc.); d) serous pleurisy and residues of primary empyemas, pleurisy of tuberculous nature, not amenable to treatment in localities; e) pneumopleuritis, poorly amenable to resorption in local conditions; f) weakened and exhausted tuberculosis patients with artificial pneumothorax, one-sided or two-sided, not recovering in local conditions; g) convalescents after surgical operations on the lungs (thoracoplasty, plombage, pneumotomy, etc.); h) those who have undergone lung operations in case of flare-up of the process of low activity in the other lung; i) forms of laryngeal tuberculosis without deep damage to cartilages, without signs of stenosis and dysphagia, especially laryngeal tuberculosis with increased irritability of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract (only in the Institute and in sanatoriums where there are departments for patients with laryngeal tuberculosis). In addition, the following are indicated: a) weakened tuberculosis patients needing surgical treatment of the lungs (thoracoplasty, plombage, pneumotomy, etc.) in the warm climate of the South; b) patients urgently needing major surgical intervention on the lungs (thoracoplasty, plombage, pneumotomy, etc.), in the presence of suspicious phenomena (small in extent and activity foci) on the healthy side.-For sanatoriums of the mid-mountain zone of the Southern coast of Crimea (Ereklik, Tuzler and Dolossy) from 15/V to 15/X the first seven items of this section (B) are also indicated; only for the summer season—Ereklik and Tuzler.-C. Throughout the year. 2. DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY TRACT: a) unresolved pneumonias, bronchitis, catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract; b) pneumoconioses; c) bronchial asthma in cases when the disease depends on suffering of the upper respiratory tract or from enlargement of the bronchial glands; d) professional diseases of the respiratory organs.- 3. NERVOUS DISEASES: neuroses not accompanied by convulsive attacks, impulsiveness and sharp affectivity, diseases of the peripheral nervous system (neuralgia, neuritis, neuromyositis, plexitis and polyneuritis), especially when combined with diseases specifically indicated for treatment on the Southern coast of Crimea.-4. DISEASES OF METABOLISM: gout with damage to the upper respiratory tract or with emphysema, diabetes (mild forms), complicated by pulmonary tuberculosis in stages indicated for treatment in Crimea. 5. KIDNEY DISEASES, chronic nephroses and nephritis without persistent hypertension in warm time of year (only June-October in the Institute). 6. In addition, the Southern coast of Crimea during autumn, winter and spring is indicated for exhausted neurotics and convalescents after exhausting diseases with neurotic phenomena. Contraindications: 1. All rapidly progressive and generalized forms of tuberculosis. 2. Extensive tuberculosis of the larynx with signs of dysphagia and stenosis. 3. Severe forms of surgical tuberculosis (lymph glands, bones, joints, serous cavities, genitourinary organs) with signs of abundant suppuration and hectic fever. 4. All cases with sharply expressed tuberculosis of the intestine. 5. All cases of far advanced tuberculosis of the kidneys. 6. Organic diseases of the central nervous system. 7. Disorders of compensation of the cardiovascular system. For household service of outpatients or so-called course patients, there are resort hotels, diet canteens, boarding houses and separate furnished rooms._% Y. has international significance, as it is a gathering place for foreign tourists and patients coming to the Southern coast of Crimea. The old, pre-revolutionary Y., which served as a place for entertainment of the bourgeoisie, in which there was not a single scientific-resort institution, after Sovietization became a real health resort for the BROAD MASSES OF WORKERS.