När livet tar en omväg : Österåsens sanatorium 1931–1932

This story is a micro-historic narrative about an individual’s human destiny in an institutional setting, which aims to offer an insight into a sanatory stay about ninety years ago, described by a young woman, 19 years old, suffering from tuberculosis. She described her stay at the sanatorium in personal letters to her family. Mainly, two themes are illustrated, the care routines and her friendship relations that developed during her stay. Her described stay and treatment is discussed in relation to Goffman’s concepts of a total institution, social relations between staff and patients and stigma, Foucault’s concepts disciplinary techniques and bio power, as well as Parsons’ sick role. In the letters, the treatment of the sanatorium is presented as an interplay between the medical treatment with focus on the best for the single patient, the nursing staff and the daily routines. Besides, despite being a patient she saw herself as a student even in the future rather than a sick person. Important for her personal well-being was her fighting spirit, her social relations with other patients and the emotional support from her family. Described in letters is a world of women.