Set on Blackwell Island located in New York, newspaper reporter, Nellie Bly, was purposefully admitted into the Women’s Lunatic Asylum to first handedly experience the mistreatment women went through daily. Beginning as a series of articles and later published as a book, Ten Days in a Mad House was one of Nellie Bly’s most influential works. She first faked her insanity in order to be admitted into the facility without question and be treated the same as all the other patients. Through her experience, she was able to very distinctly write about the care that was withheld from the patients and the basic necessities that were not met.   In equal importance, in 1887, Bly was openly an advocate for widow’s rights and women’s rights, which was a very important factor in the significance of this work. During this time period, more specifically 1842-1920, was the time of the Women’s Suffrage Movement where many women came together to fight for the right to vote and many other equal rights. Women at this time actively worked to gain equal rights of the common man in all aspects and wanted all amendments to reference citizens as a whole and give the rights to everyone instead of those that seemed to be given to specifically males (Terrant 50). The context and historical period of this time, which entailed the Women’s Rights movement and the common unfair treatment of mental health patients, shaped the significance of Nellie Bly’s work, Ten Days in a Mad House

Many of the mistreatments of mental health patients in women’s facilities during this time were due to people’s incapability to acknowledge that change needed to be made in this area. Their attention was diverted with other historical topics: the ending of the Civil War, and the newly started Women’s Rights Movement. The women that were placed into these facilities were often taken away and never got out. Their families did not want the burden of their “insanity” and in many cases they were put away for reasons that may not have had to do with their mental health. Bourneville and Regnard wrote about how Bly’s book gained attention to this field and how mental health practices changed throughout the years. When describing the 1880’s they stated, “… They didn’t see anyone who had a mental illness roaming the streets, and if they placed a person in an institution like this, they may not have come back to visit or shared stories of any visits they did make. People just seemed to disappear” (Bourneville 2). These women were not viewed as people anymore; they were a problem that was being taken care of by the government and these facilities. Many people’s disconcerting nature at this time was a large factor in why the mistreatment carried on for so long. If no women were ever released to share how they were treated, the world never knew of the abuse that occurred. People were focused on the Women’s Rights Movement and the topic of mental health was often pushed to the side or neglected. When Nellie Bly wrote her story, the issue gained attention and was finally recognized above the current historical issues.

A mental institution purpose was to help the women that were put into it, not torture them. One example of the extremely cruel behavior was when Bly turned to one of the nurses and said, “It is cruel to lock people up and freeze them” (Bly 295). Instead of accommodating the women, providing her with a blanket, or consoling her in some way, the nurse replied, “Let her fall on the floor and it will teach her a lesson” (295). This was unknown to the outside world that these women were being treated this way, but it was happening everywhere. The nurses felt empowered and knew that they had complete control over the patients. They used the power to their advantage. Relating to the Women’s Rights Movement, women were beginning to gain rights and power and but the women in this situation were completely taking advantage of it and abusing the patients. 

When Nellie Bly asked for a journal and pen with which she wanted to write with, she was turned down and told she would have to ask the doctor. Something that would be a simple gift and would make the women in the asylum feel more humane and themselves was not permitted in the asylum. Paper and pencils were available to the nursing staff and doctor so it was a feasible request that had been chosen to be declined. It was a choice to reject her the pleasure of having something to write with and do something she enjoyed. The staff chose to be unkind and unwilling to go out of their way to make a patient happier and less miserable. The nurses knew that the outside world was unaware of the mistreatment occurring inside the walls of the asylum and they were able to openly treat the patients poorly. When speaking to Miss Grupe, Bly states, “But the city pays to keep these places up, and pays people to be kind to the unfortunates brought here”(Bly 287). Without even defending their treatment tactics, Miss Grupe replies, “Well, you don’t need to expect any kindness here, for you won’t get it” (287). After the Civil War ended, many women were unsure of where they stood in society. They still felt very unequal. The mistreatment in this facility was representative to an abuse of power within the wall where the nurses knew that they had the ability to use their power. 

The Women’s Rights movement was a time when, “Women’s Rights leaders both worked for this end and took advantage of the constitutional crisis of Reconstruction to claim rights on behalf of women” (Terrant 50). This was a defining feature within Nellie Bly’s work because there seemed to be a hierarchy and mistreatment to the equality of women, which was currently being fought for. For example, the nurse’s were all women and the doctor was a man. The doctor would be considered to have a higher position with more control and power. He was able to have a higher education, due to his ability to have finished high school and go to college. This led to him having the possibility to make more money, and be the head of the facility. The nurses, the women, followed his orders, a male. It was also very clear that the nurses had the lower degree of tasks to do at work, the more “laborious jobs”. The doctor was never seen feeding the women or doing anything to make them more comfortable, he was the overseer that spoke to the women, and diagnosed them. The hierarchy is clear just simply because the doctor was the highest level in education, pay, and leadership position. 

Nellie Bly’s effect did make an impact on the mental health patients. Her work raised awareness and made people talk about the issues that they had been blind to. The treatment of these patients was not specific to just the Women’s Lunatic Asylum in New York, but many other mental health patient facilities around the world. This was a time where many people abused their power in authority and everyone was fighting for equal rights and primacy. The Women’s Rights Movement was very important in the nurses trying to have power within the facility in relation to the doctor, whom was a male. The historical context of the time was very much related and important to Nellie Bly’s findings and treatment in her book Ten Days in a Madhouse. 
