An excellent novel by A. Chekhov dealing with social, psychological, and philosophical issues in a characteristic realistic style.

Chekhov narrates the life of a doctor in a provincial area of Russia. The doctor takes a position in Ward No. 6, where mental patients are kept, but gradually various problems arise in his life.

Through this story, Chekhov manages to deliver a strong critique of the attitude of the healthcare system of the time towards individuals suffering from mental disorders. The issue of stigma from the social environment plays a central role throughout the story, while neglect and corruption prevail in the hospital. Underestimation, lack of respect, use of violence, coercive "treatment", detention, and violation of basic human rights are depicted in a highly realistic manner by an author who was also a doctor. This role allowed Chekhov to create with impressive accuracy the profiles of the patients as well as the decline of the protagonist. At the same time, existential issues are raised through the lives of the characters and their philosophical views.

Reading this work, one understands the multitude of problems that can afflict a person. Even those considered to have a dignified life may actually face adverse situations that break them. The human mind seems to be ultimately a sensitive construct that can sometimes turn against itself. Finally, something that provokes thought is that the attitude of the healthcare system has not fundamentally changed since the time described by Chekhov: although changes have been made towards a better course, the basic problems still exist.