[Portrayal of the chronic patients in literature of the 19th century].

Chronic disease appears in the literature and fine arts of the 19th century in its manifestations, its causes and its therapy, as well as its symbolism. Examples of persuasive characters are portrayed next to negative ones-in the respective roles of the patient, the physician, the nurse, as well as of the relatives. The limits of medicine are also made apparent as well as possibilities presented for ways of giving a human meaning to the suffering, disease and death.