Patienter vid Furunäsets Hospital och Asyl : Om diagnostisering och behandling av psykiskt sjuka 1893–1914

This essay explores the diagnosis and treatment of the patients living at Furunäsets Hospitaland Asylum from 1893-1914. This was the biggest mental hospital in the north of Sweden atthe time. By examining patient case books, inspection documents and a textbook aboutpsychiatry of the time, this essay explores what getting a diagnosis meant for the patients ofthe time, as well as what treatments they got after arriving to the hospital. To answer thequestion of how well the treatments went this essay also studies the annual reports from thehospital, with particular interest in staff as well as the number of patients. By studying thereports, it is possible to see how many patients were discharged each year, and for what reason.This will also show how they were classified when discharged, either as dead, unchanged,better, or back to full health. All together this will show that diagnosis and treatment during thetime between 1983-1914 could be very different depending on the symptoms present. Somediagnoses were very similar to each other, and even overlaps. Almost all patients wereencouraged to work while living in the hospital, and it was seen as a part of their treatment.The results show that diagnosis and treatment was seen as a necessity to allow those who werediagnosed to return to “normal” society.Keywords: Hospital, Piteå, psykiatrihistoria, medic