The Ill(s) of the Nation: The Experience of Tuberculosis in Finland from the 1920s to the 1970s

Heini Hakosalo

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-69882-9_10

Abstract

AbstractHeini Hakosalo makes use of an extensive collection of written, unpublished tuberculosis-related illness narratives to analyze the experience of tuberculosis and tuberculosis sanatoria “from below” within the context of twentieth-century Finland. Hakosalo argues that by linking their personal illness histories to national history, the authors could give a sense of purpose and meaning to their personal losses and suffering. At the same time, their testimonies stood as a contribution, however modest, to the national knowledge-community. She distinguishes three narrative strands that allowed the authors to assimilate their personal illness with the collective ills of the nation: histories of tuberculosis as stories of progress, stories of war, and stories of belonging.

Highlights

This chapter focuses on narrated experiences of tuberculosis
The bulk of Sanatorium Tradition (ST) contributions can be characterized as illness
The ST material revolves around tuberculosis and sanatoria but is not exclusively focused on these

Summary

Introduction

This chapter focuses on narrated experiences of tuberculosis. The investigation is based on and made possible by a major collection of written tuberculosis-related recollections called the Collection Competition for Sanatorium Tradition (ST). The majority of the contributions can be regarded as histories, as they assume a chronological, narrative form and seek to identify significant changes They offer a view from below, as the authors mainly belonged to “the common folk.”. While doctors get interrogated primarily with respect to their scientific beliefs and science-based actions, historical studies on patients have tended to focus on their emotional responses, overlooking the fact that patients, too, have beliefs pertaining to the nature and causation of a disease These beliefs need be neither irrational nor watered-down versions of mainstream medical beliefs. They should be of interest to medical professionals as well, because they clearly matter for patients’ treatment choices and compliance

Stories of Progress

Main consequences for the tuberculotic

Stories of War

Stories of Belonging

Conclusions