In Nellie Bly’s 1887 exposé, “Ten Days in a Madhouse,” Bly bravely shows the world the sickening treatment of the mentally ill behind the doors of Blackwell’s Island Lunatic Asylum. Bly’s report brought light to the women in the asylum with no voice, and started a reform to asylums across the United States. It is no secret that during this time period woman were considered especially inferior to men. As a result of this social barrier, men admitted women into asylums for unacceptable reasons such as grief, profanity, and suppressed menstruation (Pouba, Tianen 95). However, once admitted into an asylum as a women during the 19th century, there was slim chances of ever being free again. As Nellie Bly states, “The insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island is a human rat-trap. It is easy to get in, but once there it is impossible to get out” (Bly). Not only is it impossible to get out, but also it is almost impossible to prove your sanity as a woman over a man’s word.

The unnoticed and unnecessary admissions to asylums during this time is disturbing. The male society’s closed mindedness in the 1800s is to blame for the institutionalization of sane women all over the country (Pouba, Tianen 95). Bly stops her façade as an insane woman the moment she is in Blackwell’s Island Asylum, but the doctors do not notice a difference (Popova 9). Bly states, “I had by this time determined to act as I do when free” (Bly 283). The lack of attention or care the doctors portray to their patients is proven to be minimal and causes the reader to even question the qualifications of the “charitable” health care provided. Bly also includes in her work a German woman in the asylum who has no way of communication or hope because of her lack of English. Bly describes the situation, “But here was a woman taken without her own consent from the free world to an asylum and there given no chance to prove her sanity” (Bly 282). This example is one of many to show the unfair treatment of women claimed to be mentally insane. Furthermore, Bly notices the saner she acts, the crazier she was thought to be (DeMain 2). According to DeMain, “Blackwell’s Island was meant to be a state-of-the-art institution committed to moral, humane rehabilitation of its patients” (DeMain 2). However, this was quickly forgotten when there was a lack of funding, and rehabilitation turned into torture, causing more mental damage to the patients. Bly even says, “Take a perfectly sane and healthy woman, shut her up and make her sit from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on straight-back benches, do not allow her to talk or move during these hours, give her no reading and let her know nothing of the world or its doings, give her bad food and harsh treatment, and see how long it will take to make her insane” (Bly 293).

Not only are the unjustified and forced admissions to asylums horrid, but also the disgusting and violent treatment of the patients in Blackwell’s Asylum. When bathed the patients are made to use the same bath water, towel, and comb (DeMain 12). Also, the dresses the patients wear are only changed once a month (DeMain 12). However, if a patient is expecting a visitor Bly shares the panic to cover up the grotesque environment, “I have seen the nurses hurry her out and change her dress before the visitor comes in. This keeps up appearance of careful and good management” (Popova 12). This treatment can quickly result in illness throughout the building, and the lack of hygiene is inhumane. The nurse’s high level of authority in the asylum proves to be a dangerous weapon. These “caretakers” are extremely unmerciful and abusive. Bly writes about a Mrs. Cotter who is tortured for “speaking to a man on the premises” (Popova 14). Again, this example shows the power and social inequity between men and women during the time. Mrs. Cotter tells Bly the cruel acts the nurses did to her, “For crying the nurses beat me with a broom-handle and jumped on me, injuring me internally so that I will never get over it…Then they pulled my hair out by the roots so that I will never grow in again” (Bly). This description Mrs. Cotter shares with Bly tells the obvious, irreversible effects of the torture in Blackwell’s Asylum. The fact the nurses hide the inhumane and physically violent treatment from the outside world and doctors does show they know the lack of moral values in their actions, making the exposé more disturbing. 

Nellie Bly can easily be compared to women such as Elizabeth Packard and Dorothea Dix. Packard became a women’s rights activist after her husband admitted her to a mental hospital for conflicting religious views until a court finally freed her (Pouba, Tianen 98). Packard is incredibly fortunate to be brought in front of a court at all to make her case. In the Blackwell’s Asylum that was not an option for the sane. Bly even states, “Compare this with a criminal, who is given every chance to prove his innocence. Who would not rather be a murderer and take the chance for life than be declared insane, without hope of escape?” (Bly 283). Bly makes an excellent point and emphasizes that the mentally insane (or sane) receive worse treatment than criminals. Packard’s voice along with Bly’s pave a way for women to have a better chance at proving their sanity, and equality with men. Dorothea Dix fought to improve conditions in women’s insane asylums. With the help of Dix and Bly, The Lunacy Act of 1890 was passed to protect the mentally insane and support the wrongfully admitted patients (Pouba, Tianen 98). These three women made a noticeable difference in the treatment of inane women during the late 19th century. Bly not only exposed the horrifying events in Blackwell’s Island Asylum, but her work resulted in a one-million-dollar budget increase for New York City’s mentally ill facilities (Popova 1). 

The asylums funds and care continued to increase for another 60 years. However, in the 1950s the policy of deinstitutionalization began after a law eliminated involuntary hospitalization (Torrey 1). This law seems to be what Bly and many other activists wanted in order to prevent wrongly institutionalized individuals. However, their message was interpreted in a way that had inevitable consequences. While there were many errors in the admission of sane women in the earlier years, many individuals with actual mental disorders are not self-aware of their need for treatment because their impaired mental state. The law resulted in thousands of untreated mentally ill people.  Though in 1955 the first antipsychotic medication was introduced; however, the most severe cases were not affected and many could not afford the medication (Torrey 1). Most institutions shut down, and the mentally ill had little options. The majority of the patients were left on the streets, explaining our high volume of mentally ill homeless people today. According to Dr. Torry, one-third of the homeless population and sixteen percent of prisoners suffer from mental illness (Torry 2). Unfortunately, there is no true charitable place for the mentally ill today. One could consider homeless shelters a new popular place for our countries mentally insane. While hospitals contain psychiatric wards, fewer patients are treated for less time and then sent on their way. While living on the streets is a better alternative to the harsh treatments in the late 1800 asylums, reform is needed again. Psychiatric institutions under better funding and conditions are in demand to provide a better life for the mentally ill in America today.
