Patients were no longer referred to as “idiots.” Also, mental illnesses were put into different categories, no longer just called “mad.” Clinical psychology did evolve from the 19th century though. They became cleaner and served better food, but the treatments were still torturous. 20th Century AsylumsĪ patient receiving insulin shock therapy in the 1950s.Īlthough asylums had come a long way since the 18th century, asylums were still horrible places up until the end of the 20th century. Her expose helped create some reform with the asylums. Nellie concluded that even if you were a sane person being admitted, by the end of two months you would become insane from the treatment you received at Blackwell’s Island insane asylum. Another woman described how the nurses would pull her by her hair and kick her when she would fall down. The nurses literally beat her to death with a broom handle. One woman told her that a younger woman had refused to take a cold bath. The patients confided in her and described of the physical abuses they all suffered. She described how all the patients there had a blue tint to their flesh because of the frigid conditions. There were only two towels to dry off 45 patients. The first day she was admitted she was forced to take a cold bath with dirty water. The buildings were frigid and the women were given threadbare dresses to wear. She went into graphic details on how all the food was rancid and sparse. Bly spent 10 days in the asylum and once released she wrote a thorough expose on the asylum. She was a journalist for the New York World. In 1887, Nellie Bly purposely got herself admitted to the Blackwell’s Island insane asylum in New York City.
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