Johan Anton Waldenström, a versatile doctor and pioneer: Professor of medicine and practising surgeon

Johan Anton Waldenström was born in 1839. His father was Erik Magnus Waldenström, a district medical officer in Luleå whose district encompassed the entire upper Norrland. Erik Magnus was the first doctor in his family. He studied in Lund where he also obtained his Doctorate of Medicine (MD). Immediately afterwards, in 1819, he moved to Luleå, where he remained until his death. He is described as a forceful man, as a doctor, as a local politician, and as the head of his family. One might question a doctor being called forceful, but it was not uncommon for him to undertake taxing home visits by sledge and could well be away from home for several weeks at a time. One such journey was estimated at between 300 and 400 kilometres! This man was remarkable for his striving to provide his sons with an academic education. He fathered 15 children, all of whom but one reached adulthood. He paid for the academic education of all his 10 sons, which was considered a great achievement for a district medical officer whose salary was so small it was necessary to supplement it with a family-run farm. As an example of their limited means, it can be mentioned that Johan Anton had to share his school books with his brother Paul Petter, who although he was one year older was in the same class. They stuck together like two peas in a pod throughout their studies. In their last years of upper high school, they studied together at the Lyceum in Uppsala. At university Paul Petter studied theology and Johan Anton medicine. In order to make the most of their meagre funds, they travelled together to Uppsala by steamer at the beginning of the academic year, taking with them as many necessities as possible including food which was made to stretch as far as possible. Naturally they boarded together. They listed all their expenses, and this was checked by their strict father. The circumstances are well described in numerous letters, often weekly and signed ‘Your ever-loving father’ and beginning with ‘My dear boys’. Now and again a letter began curtly, ‘My Boys’; ‘And it hurt Johan and me [Paul Petter] so hard that we closed our books and we were unable to study for the remainder of the day’. The use of language and the meaning of words have truly changed over the years, and it demonstrates how hard it can be to interpret the essence of old texts without understanding the language of the times. In the summers they had to return to their parents’ home in Luleå and help with the farming. This was particularly disliked by Paul Petter, who considered such labour to be unworthy of a student! Having finished school, their father believed that they should take what we now call a sabbatical year at home in order to consider what line of study to follow. This too was financed by their father. Both the brothers worked hard at their studies and could by no means be called ‘jolly’ students. The one who became more generally well-known of the two was Paul Petter who, as a result of differences of opinion about free communion and the significance of the creed, came into such conflict with the church, and specifically the Swedish Evangelical Mission, that he decided to help form an independent mission society foundation. Thus the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden was founded. In addition to his work within the Mission Covenant Church,