Dorothea+Dix+-+F08



I was born in 1802, in the State of Maine. In history I am known for my reformation of the treatment of the mentally ill. My endeavor began, in 1841, when I was asked to teach a Sunday School Class at the East Cambridge House of Correction, in Massachussetts. I was shocked at how appalling the treatment of the menatly ill was. People who were mentally ill during this time were treated as if they were not human. A person found to be mentally ill was sent away to a prison and it was thought to be certain there was no cure whatsoever. The mentally ill were also treated with the mentality that they had no feelings, the reasoning for the horrendous conditions. Another advancement I made was in women's activism. It was not common for women to have any part in government, but I stepped past the boundary set for women. I was absolutely stricken with horror when I saw the conditions in the House of Corrections. The treatment of prostitutes, drunks and criminals were horrible, but worst of all was the treatment of the mentally retarded. They were all housed together in a bare, unclean, non- furnished space with no heat or cooling. They were treated as if they were animals, not feeling heat or cold. After seeing this I set out to see if other correction facilities were alike; to my dismay, they were. Another large criticism of people's thinking during this time was the fact that the mentally retarded were automatically cast out and believed to be uncurable, no matter their illness, age or sex. With this knew knowledge I set out to improve the conditions of correction facilities, and give the mentally ill a voice. To begin my journey towards, with the help if my friend, I wrote a letter to legislature in 1843 alerting them of the horrifying conditions in these institutions and urging them to create asylums for the menatly ill.. I gave examples such as these "//Lincoln//. A woman in a cage" and "//Medford//. One idiotic subject chained, and one in a closed stall for seventeen years". After seeing my records of such inhumane behavior legislature passed a bill that would allow states land to fund insitutions for the physically as well as mentally handicapped. President Franklin Pierce did not favor federal funding towards this, though, and he vetoed the bill. Although if the president had passed this bill, my effects would have been more numerous and widespred I did not let this hinder my goals. I kept on and even made improvements in Italy by enlightening Pope Pius lX of the conditons of the jails in his country. I also pushed and pushed state legislature to fund hospitals for the mentally ill. I did not fail at this and my determination resulted in 32 asylums being founded across the United States of America. During this time, the women need to play a bigger role in government and jail conditions needed to be improve. I was the founding block of the treatment towards the mentally ill and conditons we have in jails today. References

William Channing- This is an old friend of mine who helped me to achieve what I have accomplished. He was my connection to Legislature allowing me to get the letter into government. Women having a say in government during this time was not likely whatsoever.

Pope Pius lX- After reforming institutions in America I went overseas to try and solve similar issue. I showed the Pope what kind of devestation was going on in the jails, similar to in America. Pope Pius lX was shocked by this and we were able to make reform even in a different country.

Works Cited Dix, Dorothea. "Dorothea Dix's letter to Legislature." Letter to Massachusetts Legislation. Massachusetts. Social Studies Help center. 2 Oct. 2008 . "Dix, Dorothea Lynde." Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 2 Oct. 2008. Levert, Suzanne. "Dorothea Dix." Civil War Nurses. 12 Jan. 05. 2 Oct. 2008 . "US History Lesson 31: Reform Crusades." HippoCampus. 2 Oct. 2008 .

Samuel Bell Waugh (1814-1885) Oil on canvas, 1868 National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from St. Elizabeth's Hospital