3. 1 The Social Stakeholders of the Sanatorium Building Project
3.1.1 STATE MEDICAL BOARD HELD THE KEYS TO FUNDING
In 1929 the Finnish state promoted the founding and operation of public insti-
tutions for the treatment of tuberculosis by passing an Act^518 and a Decree^519 that
provided the fundamental framework for building new institutions, and for repairing
and maintaining old ones with state funding. Before the legislation came into effect,
municipalities had formed federations, which had initiated the building of district
sanatoria. The Tuberculosis Sanatorium of Southwest Finland, more commonly
known as Paimio Sanatorium because of its location in the municipality of Paimio,
was one of the large public sanatoria, whose building was financed and supervised
by the state under the new legislation, and which was erected immediately after the
new Act had entered into force in 1930.^520 These sanatoria represented a new type of
public-sector institution and were indicative of social reform in Finland.
According to legislation, it fell within the remit of the State Medical Board to decide
which institutions at a given time were to receive state aid for founding costs, as prescribed
in the general plan approved by the Minister of the Interior based on the State Medical
Board’s proposal and within the limits of appropriations allocated in the state budget. In
January 1930, the State Medical Board submitted its plan concerning tuberculosis sanato-
ria to the Ministry of the Interior for approval.^521 Prior to 1930, state aid had been granted
to cover founding costs of six sanatoria.^522 These hospitals had from 150 to 200 beds and
their budgets varied between FIM 15,100,000 to FIM 20,500,000, with the Tuberculosis
Sanatorium of Southwest Finland being the most expensive.^523 The plan also included
proposals for seven other sanatorium projects that met the criteria and that had yet to
receive state aid.^524 The plan excluded sanatoria built by the larger municipalities, as in
the opinion of the State Medical Board, their plans were mostly still at an early stage of
planning. The only exception was the Vyborg Tuberculosis Sanatorium, which had been
partly funded with donations.^525 However, the most important tuberculosis hospital at
518 Laki valtionavusta 269/1929. (Act on State Aid to Municipal Mental Hospitals and Hospitals for Tuberculosis
Patients and for Promoting Work to Combat Tuberculosis 269/1929).
519 Asetus valtionavusta 270/1929. (Decree on the Implementation of the Act Given on the 31st Day of May, 1929,
on State Aid to Municipal Mental Hospitals and Hospitals for Tuberculosis Patients and for Promoting Work to
Combat Tuberculosis 270/1929).
520 The State Medical Board’s proposal to the Minister of the Interior on the granting of state aid for tuberculosis
sanatoria, dated January 8, 1930. Record No. 114:30 8/1 200 Y III. State Medical Board 1930 Da:7. NA.
521 Ibidem.
522 These were the sanatoria of Central Finland, Kontioniemi, the Swedish-speaking municipalities of Uusimaa
Region, Northern Savonia (Tarinaharju), Oulu Region and Southwest Finland. Ibidem.
523 Ibidem.
524 These were the sanatoria of Satakunta, North Häme, Finnish-speaking municipalities of Uusimaa Region, South Häme,
South Karelia (Rauha), Central Ostrobothnia (Oulainen and Swedish-speaking municipalities in Ostrobothnia). Ibidem.
525 Ibidem.