A review by zena_ryder
Ten Days in a Mad-House by Nellie Bly
4.0
Ten Days in a Madhouse is a quick, fascinating read about the terrible conditions a young reporter found inside a nineteenth century 'lunatic asylum'.
In 1887, Nellie Bly pretended to be insane so she could be committed to a women's asylum in New York. Her goal was to report on the treatment of the patients in the facility, after her newspaper editor got her out in 10 days time.
What she found was incredibly disturbing. Women who Bly judged to be perfectly sane and lucid were ignored by doctors. Patients were routinely physically and emotionally abused. They were housed in dirty, cold, uncomfortable environments. The food was insufficient and inedible. Legitimate illnesses were not treated and they were sometimes even refused water to drink.
Bly's undercover reporting did result in increased funding and better treatment for the patients. I don't know the extent of the improvements, though.
If you're interested in 19th century American history, or medical history, I recommend this book. Despite being written in the 19th century, the style is quite modern and readable.
In 1887, Nellie Bly pretended to be insane so she could be committed to a women's asylum in New York. Her goal was to report on the treatment of the patients in the facility, after her newspaper editor got her out in 10 days time.
What she found was incredibly disturbing. Women who Bly judged to be perfectly sane and lucid were ignored by doctors. Patients were routinely physically and emotionally abused. They were housed in dirty, cold, uncomfortable environments. The food was insufficient and inedible. Legitimate illnesses were not treated and they were sometimes even refused water to drink.
Bly's undercover reporting did result in increased funding and better treatment for the patients. I don't know the extent of the improvements, though.
If you're interested in 19th century American history, or medical history, I recommend this book. Despite being written in the 19th century, the style is quite modern and readable.