

Institutions function in many structural forms with many varying purposes. Walter C. Neale, author of “Institutions”, focused specifically on the purpose of institutions and their intentions. Carla Yanni, author of “The Linear Plan for Insane Asylums in the United States before 1866”, addressed architectural issues of asylums and how their structure, or lack thereof, impacted patient life. Lastly, Nellie Bly, author of “Ten Days in a Mad-house” discovered the mistreatment of patients from personal experience in an institution, more specifically a women’s lunatic asylum. Each of these articles has their own focus, but all three contribute to the impact that institutions have on society. By looking at all three perspectives, one can see how the different focal points of institutions contribute to similar purposes, structures, and intentions, which is significant because institutions strongly impact individuals lives.

Walter C. Neale used a quote by John R. Commons to support his definition of an institution. Together, the two stances defined an institution as “collective action in control of individual action” with the intent to teach specific behaviors or knowledge (Neale 1178). Institutions vary in their intentions and their structures because some provide individuals new knowledge, while others focus on rehearsing previously learned behaviors. Neale used the following quote by Walton Hamilton to support his argument, “an institution ‘connotes a way of thought or action of some prevalence or permanence, which is embedded in the habits of a group or the customs of a people’” (Neale 1178). This quote established guidelines that an institution is meant to create permanent thoughts or behaviors in the minds of individuals, which is supported in many real-life situations. For example, a kindergarten class repeats the same Tuesday routine every week with the same classmates and the same teacher who intends to teach the students lessons and behaviors. The school represents an institution because it is a place where reoccurring action controls groups of individuals. Another broad, well-known example of an institution is a mental hospital. A mental hospital represents an institution because it is a place that provides groups of individuals with permanent actions and routines. These two institutions may vary in their specific purpose; however, both support reform and teaching certain behaviors or knowledge. Neale’s article doesn’t provide a personal stance on the successfulness of institutions, but simply defines their purpose for existence. Nellie Bly, on the other hand, personally experienced time in an institution and therefore used her opinions to describe its productivity and worth. Although her stay was shorter than normal admission, she was able to see the impact institutions can have on individual life especially when failing to maintain high standards through means of proper patient treatment. 

Carla Yanni discussed the importance of architecture for Insane Asylums in the U.S. and how a building’s structure could impact the well-being of its patients. Her theory supported properly ventilated buildings in order to provide a better environment for asylum patients. She discovered this idea when relating past asylums to the 1817 Pennsylvania asylum that was built with an open structure that architecturally allowed better air flow. When comparing the proper ventilation of the newer building to the stuffiness of the older buildings, it was evident that a change needed to be made to the older building’s design. Dr. Thomas S. Kirkbride, who helped make the new Pennsylvania asylum, insisted that “if old buildings could not be adaptively reused, then new ones had to be built” (Yanni 29). As previously stated, it was believed that better air flow in the institution would allow patients to not feel confined and removed from society. Yanni’s architectural argument gave rise to her second idea which supported the proper treatment of patients. She believed asylums were structured so patients could “live a regimented life, eat healthy food, get exercise” and do all daily tasks a typical individual would do while being “unchained, granted respect, [and] encouraged to perform occupational tasks” (Yanni 27). Carla Yanni did not focus on the purpose of institutions as much as she focused on life of patients in those institutions. She wrote her article to publicize architectural change amongst older asylums and to promote the daily tasks of patients inside those institutions. Yanni’s focus tied closely together to Nellie Bly’s topic of patient life and why certain changes needed to be made in the institution so individuality could be reinstated.

In 1887, women’s rights activist Nellie Bly feigned insanity in order to spend ten days in a New York asylum. During her time in the asylum, she discovered patients were mistreated when it came to meals, to baths, to clothing, and even to free-expression. The patients followed a routine, which was strongly supported by Neale’s argument about the purpose of institutions; however, patients lacked any resemblance to normal living which was expressed by Yanni as a key component to a successful institution. Within Bly’s first day in the asylum, she experienced three cold, stale meals, an ice-cold bath where she lacked privacy, and the loss of her identity by being forced to remove her normal clothes and wear a flannel labeled “Lunatic Asylum, B. I., H. 6.” (Bly 287). Bly’s personal experience proved that Neale’s outlook on institutions was not being completely followed. The focus on a structured routine was functioning, but the intent to teach specific behaviors or lessons was lacking. Lessons were not being taught or behaviors being corrected and it appeared patients were simply living in the institution with no plan to return to society. Bly proved that Yanni’s idea for proper treatment of patients was not being upheld and her clearest example being when a staff member told her “you don’t need to expect any kindness here, for you won’t get it” (Bly 287). This statement clearly supported Bly’s accusations that patients were being treated unfairly; however, it went against both Neale’s intentions of an institution and Yanni’s outline for proper treatment of patients. Both authors provided guidelines for successful institutions; however, Bly’s conclusion proved that the Blackwell’s Island Lunatic Asylum was not maintaining those proper standards. 

Both Walter C. Neale and Carla Yanni studied and wrote articles focusing on varying aspects of institutions. Nellie Bly took a different approach by immersing herself in the problem, so she could then write about women’s issues in an attempt to promote change. Although both articles had different approaches and were composed hundreds of years after Bly’s story, it is easy to relate the three now and see the progress made. Thanks to Neale and Yanni’s perspectives, the purpose, structure, and intentions of institutions are clear and should be upheld by ensuring that after Bly’s experience, no institutions still function that way. 
