«... det er ingen rede at faa paa ham»: Samiske pasienters psykiatrijournaler 1902–1940

This study examines how Sami psychiatric patients were described at a time when issues of race and eugenics were considered important in western societies. A selection of medical records from between 1902 and 1940 at Rønvik asylum in Bodø, Northern Norway, was selected for the study. The study suggests that Sami patients tended to be described differently, using negative connotations. The fact that many Sami patients understood little or no Norwegian had several unfortunate consequences for these patients. Hospital staff had insufficient knowledge of the Sami language and poor access to qualified interpreters. Nevertheless, no differences in the medical treatment given to Sami and Norwegian patients were found.