[Census of mentally ill and founding of psychiatric clinics in the 19th century. Bern as the example for other Swiss cantons].

Psychiatry developed into an independent branch of medicine during the last century also in Switzerland. In most cantons statistics of the mentally abnormal were set up. In this way, responsible physicians proved to the authorities and to their fellow citizens the need for State lunatic asylums. In this respect, the medical practitioners in the Canton of Berne were pioneers.