Thesis (M.D.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Medicine, 1947.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis has caused a resurgence in pulmonary disease in both developed and developing countries in recent times, particularly amongst people infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The disease has assumed epidemic proportions in South Africa and in the Eastern Cape Province in particular. Of further concern is the isolation of increasing numbers of multiply drug resistant strains. Knowledge of the genetic capability of this organism is essential for the successful development of novel antibiotics and vaccines in an attempt to bring the global pandemic under control. Measurement of the genetic diversity of the organism may significantly contribute to such knowledge, and is of vital importance in monitoring epidemics and in improving treatment and control of the disease. This will entail answering a number of questions related to the degree of genetic diversity amongst strains, to the difference between urban and rural strains, and between drug resistant and drug sensitive strains, and to the geographical distribution of strains. In order to establish such baseline information, RAPD profiling of a large population of isolates from the western and central regions of the Eastern Cape Province was undertaken. A smaller number of drug resistant strains from a small area of KwaZulu-Natal were also analysed, with a view to establishing the genetic difference between strains from the two provinces. Cluster analysis, analysis of molecular variance and Geographical Information Systems technology were used to analyse the RAPD profiles generated. An unexpectedly high degree of genetic diversity was detected in strains from both provinces. While no correlation was seen between genetic diversity and either urban-rural situation or geographical location, a small degree of population structure could be correlated with drug resistance in the Eastern Cape. Furthermore, a significant degree of population structure was detected between strains from the two provinces, although this was still within the parameters for conspecific populations. Future work is necessary to further characterise strains from rural areas of both provinces, as well as from the eastern region of the Eastern Cape in an attempt to pinpoint the cause of the separation of the provincial populations.

Introduction. This thesis examines historical patients’ experiences of staying in sanatoria in Mörsil, Sweden, with a special focus on power structures within the institution. This thesis project is simultaneously a scholarly digital humanities inquiry using digitised sources as the material of study, and a hands-on digital humanities project in the form of a digital archive containing the materials examined in this study. Previous research suggests that there is a need to nuance the modern narrative about patients in sanatoria, and that studying patients’ own accounts is one way to do this. Method. Letters, brochures, programs, and newspaper articles and notices were studied in this thesis. Handwritten materials were automatically transcribed using the artificial intelligence tool Transkribus Lite. Omeka.net was used to publish the digitised collection online. A qualitative conventional content analysis was used to aid interpretation and processing of the study’s materials. Analysis. This study used Foucault’s (1995) theory of discipline to analyse patients’ own stories, and printed materials from the sanatoria, in order to examine the presence of power imbalances. Results. The results of this study show many varied signs of institutionalised discipline. They also provide insight into patients’ experiences at the sanatoria related to medical treatments and sanatoria practices. Conclusion. This study concludes that studying patients’ stories can provide unique insight into the practices, treatments, and the patient experience in sanatoria. This knowledge contributes to nuancing the modern view on sanatoria and its patients. / Introduktion. Den här uppsatsen undersöker historiska patienters upplevelser av att spendera tid på de sanatorier som fanns i Mörsil, Jämtland, med ett särskilt fokus på maktstrukturer inom institutionen. Uppsatsen består både av en akademisk digital humaniorafrågeställning med digitaliserade källor som empiriskt material, och ett praktiskt digitaliseringsprojekt. Tidigare forskning föreslår att det finns anledning att nyansera det moderna narrativet kring sanatoriepatienter, samt att studie av patienternas egna berättelser är ett bra sätt att åstadkomma detta på.  Metod. Brev, broschyrer, program samt tidskriftsartiklar och -notiser studerades i denna uppsats. Handskrivet material transkriberades automatiskt genom Transkribus Lite som är baserat på artifciell intelligens. Omeka.net användes för att publicera studiens digitaliserade material online. En kvalitativ konventionell innehållsanalys användes för att tolka och tematisera studiens material.  Analys. Den här uppsatsen använde Foucaults (1995) teori om disciplin för att analysera patienters berättelser och publicerat material från sanatorierna. Resultat. Resultaten av den här studien visar på många olika typer av institutionaliserad disciplin. Resultaten ger även inblick i andra aspekter av patienternas upplevelser, exempelvis kopplat till medicinska behandlingar och sanatoriverksamheten i stort. Slutsats. Uppsatsen visar att studien av patienters egna berättelser kan ge en unik inblick i de praktiker, behandlingar och uppplevelser som ägde rum på svenska sanatorier. Den här kunskapen bidrar till att nyansera den moderna synen på sanatorier och dess patienter.