1. Dorothea Dix’s Craze for the Asylum Movement
Chloé Stedman & Bennett Taniguchi

2. Introduction
The suffering and ill were left chained to the walls, deep in the basements of prisons and asylums. During the 1800’s, the treatment of the mentally ill was deplorable; they were seen as products of sin or witchcraft. Rather than receiving proper help, they were left to be forgotten and ignored. This phenomena was occurring throughout the entire U.S. as well as throughout multiple European countries. Once Dorothea Dix began touring these jailhouses where criminals were mixed with the ill, she called for extreme reform. Appealing to the legislature for federal grants, Dix did not halt in her campaign to change the lives of the suffering for the better. As she saw success in this conquest, she traveled to Europe and continued reforming until the public mindset began to shift and evolve.

3. Dorothea Dix’s Personal Background
1802: Born in Hampden, Maine
She was the oldest child in the family, with 2 younger siblings
Her father, Joseph, was a methodist preacher and an aggressive alcoholic
Her mother, Mary, was terribly depressed and suffered from migraines
Taught to read by her father
At 12 years old, Dorothea moved to Boston to live with her grandmother
Established schools and curriculum in Boston & Worcester at 14 years old

4. Problem Addressed by Movement
Dix toured U.S. for 18 months to document the brutal treatment of as many prisoners as possible
: Dix traveled throughout Europe to change how institutions & people viewed the mentally ill
Common perception among the public-
The insane couldn’t be cured
They simply lived with their predisposition
Dorothea Dix’s belief-
Bettering living conditions could help the ill become healthier
The mentally ill can experience recovery

5. Conditions Creating Need for Change
1841: Dix recognized that conditions in East Cambridge Jail, where she taught, were unhygienic & unregulated
Treatment of inmates was inhumane-
Criminals were housed next to the mentally ill
Subjected to brutal beating by jailors
Prisoners were flogged, starved, chained, physically & sexually abused, left naked without heat
Men, women, and children of East Cambridge Jail in the dungeon were considered to be insane; they were underfed, chained to walls, could only sleep on the floors, and were half-naked constantly

6. Earlier Attempts at Reform
: French psychiatrist Philippe Pinel pioneered in humane treatment of mentally ill
1792: Became the chief physician at Paris asylum for men and led reform of unchaining all patients; many been held for 40 years
1794: As director of Salpetriere, he also unchained female inmates
Rejected the treatments of bleeding, purging, and blistering
Introduced a therapy of friendly, close contact to the patient, discussed personal difficulties, and offered patients engaging activities

7. Earlier Attempts at Reform Continued…
1792: William Tuke founded a sanctuary for the mentally ill called the Retreat at York in England
1796: Retreat at York was opened as a private Quaker asylum
Known as a humane and religious-based sanctuary; treated patients as people & provided for their basic needs and comfort
His approach became known as moral treatment

8. Chronology of Movement (Timeline)
April 4th, 1802: Dorothea Dix born
1816: Began teaching young girls in school
1821: Opened a school in Boston
1824: Wrote her most well-known book Conversations on Common Things
1836: Dorothea Dix suffered a mental breakdown from stress, depression, and respiratory infections (tuberculosis & malaria)
1838: Dix’s mother and grandmother died, leaving an inheritance that provided for her reform work and traveling

9. Chronology of Movement (Timeline) Continued…
1841: Dix was asked to teach women inmates at the East Cambridge Jail (in Massachusetts) for Sunday school
Found that the dungeon held mentally ill men, women, and children that were left in terrible conditions
: Dorothea Dix traveled to every jail, prison, asylum, and poorhouse in Massachusetts to gather information on the treatment of the prisoners
1843: Dix delivered A Memorial to the Massachusetts Legislature after third-party inspection agreed with her statements
Government granted funds to the State Mental Hospital in Worcester

10. Chronology of Movement (Timeline) Continued…
1845: Dix published Remarks on Prisons and Prison Discipline in the United States, which “advocated for progressive reforms” (Gale Virtual Reference)
1854: Congress agreed to pass the bill of providing 5 million acres of land for state mental hospitals, President Pierce vetoed bill
1855: Congress was able to provide funds to found St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C.
: Dix traveled to Europe to rest, instead began mass reform campaigning upon seeing more terrible conditions
1861: Was made superintendent of women nurses during Civil War
1863: Dix was removed from post but continued to help until end of war
1867: Resumed working for rights of the mentally ill
1881-July 17th 1887: Stopped working and lived in state hospital until her death

11. Solutions Proposed by Movement
Dix presented her findings to Massachusetts legislature, called upon government officials for action towards reform
1848: Requested 5 million acres of land to be used to benefit the mentally ill, blind, and deaf
Proposed funds be set aside for an expansion of the state mental health hospital in Worcester
Later this was proposed for Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Maryland, Louisiana, Alabama, South and North Carolina, and even England

12. How Effective & Realistic the Goals of Movement Were
Femininity ideals painted women as having responsibility towards the more vulnerable people in society
Generally understood that they upheld a higher moral standard than men did
Allowed Dix’s call for reform to be taken seriously
Dix’s upsetting descriptions and firsthand accounts of the inhumane treatment of the mentally ill sparked change and a shift in the mindset of the time
Seeing as there are mentally ill people throughout the entire country, asking for federal aid was reasonable
Era of 2nd Great Awakening engaged public in bettering the communities

13. Key Players Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) Pope Pius IX (1886-1958)
William Tuke; inspiration ( )
Philippe Pinel; inspiration ( )
Elizabeth Fry; a prison reformer ( )
William Ellery Channing; a unitarian that Dix befriended ( )
William Rathbone; a humanitarian with connections to social welfare advocates ( )

14. Dorothea Dix’s Thoughts
What she observed during her travels…
"Confined in this Commonwealth in cages, closets, cellars, stalls, pens! Chained, beaten with rods, lashed into obedience."
Her moral stance on treatment of the ill…
“Man is not made better by being degraded; he is seldom restrained from crime by harsh measures, except the principle of fear predominates in his character, and then he is never made radically better for its influence.”
Dix remembering her time spent working…
“What greater bliss than to look back on days spent in usefulness, in doing good to those around us.”

15. Society’s Response to the Movement
Dix lobbied to create mental asylums, it was necessary for her to gather data on the mistreatment of prisoners in order to convince others of the necessity of reform
New Jersey legislatures ended up approving and supporting the project
March 25, 1845: Legislature was passed to create a state facility
President Millard Filmore was in favor of Dix’s bill, however, his term ended prior to the signing of the bill

16. Society’s Response to the Movement Continued…
1841: When Samuel Gridley Howe (head of Perkins Institute for the Blind) began supporting Dix, he published an article in the Boston Daily Advisor criticizing treatment of mentally ill
Sparked great public response in support of creating change for those that couldn’t change their situation on their own

17. Opposition Towards the Movement
Some New Jersey legislators opposed the construction of a state facility, due to the amount that needed to be funded in taxes for the project to succeed
This was because the cost for the facility to be built would be extensive
President Franklin Pierce disapproved and vetoed the bill that Dix requested
Feared it would make the federal government responsible for the insane and all of the poor within the United States

18. Setbacks & Unintended Consequences of Movement
1854: Although both houses of congress approved the grant Dix requested, President Franklin Pierce vetoed it
1843: Dix’s report of the Massachusetts jails and prisons was criticized until an independent party found the same observations
Dorothea Dix’s personal health was poor at times, forcing her to slow or stop efforts during reform

19. Political Implications of Movement
During a time when internal improvements were being questioned by the different political groups, Dorothea Dix disregarded this and called the government to action
1843: When Dix presented A Memorial to the Massachusetts, she asked the government for 5 million acres of land to be used for state hospitals
Was denied the land but did receive funding to open a hospital in Worcester
Although President Pierce feared that the public would become dependent on the government, the mental hospitals were extremely beneficial to the ill

20. Movement’s Achievements
Funds were set aside for the expansion of the mental health hospitals in Worcester, Rhode Island, and New York
32 institutions were built in the U.S. under Dix’s call to action, a total of 123 after a few decades
After meeting with Pope Pius IX in Europe, he “ordered the construction of a new hospital for the mentally ill” (Prison and Asylum Reform)
Instituted 15 schools throughout the US for the “feeble minded”
Created 1 school specifically for the blind
Dix was instrumental in the formation of training facilities for nurses

21. Related Historical Events
1841: Dr. John Galt was the superintendent of the Eastern Lunatic Asylum in Williamsburg; this was the first ever publicly supported psychiatric hospital in the U.S.
He supported radical ideas of treatment, including using drugs, integrating “talk therapy”, and allowing an outpatient status rather than being locked up for their entire life

22. Related Historical Events Continued…
1796: William Tuke was a Quaker who opened the York Retreat for the Mentally Disordered
Was one of the first people to introduce and advocate the theory of humane treatment for people with mental illnesses
: French psychiatrist Philippe Pinel pioneered in the humane treatment of the mentally ill
1792: Became the chief physician at Paris asylum for men and led reform of unchaining all patients; many been held for 40 years
: Elizabeth Fry, a prison reformer with Quaker background
1817: Founded the Association for the Reformation of the Female Prisoners in Newgate to enable prisoners to be treated humanely

23. Related Current Events
As Dorothea Dix set a basis for the proper treatment of the mentally ill, there are campaigns occurring currently that extend her ideas-
1990: The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed to ensure protection
May 8th-14th, 2017: Mental Health Awareness Week-
The Mental Health Foundation calls anyone suffering to action; meet others dealing with similar issues & practice coping mechanisms at multiple events located in multiple major cities
Change is still necessary as not all of the mentally ill receive fair treatment…
December 9th, 2016: Man being held in prison dies without being treated-
In Virginia State Jail, a man named Jamycheal Mitchell died after not receiving physical or mental health checks
Suffered from schizophrenia and psychosis without avail

24. Dorothea Dix’s Civil War Nursing Work
1861: Dix became the superintendent of the women nurses during the Civil War
: Worked to organize fellow women volunteers, fundraise for the cause, and establish hospitals
Was the first woman to serve such a high role for the federal government
1863: Was disliked and feared by all she oversaw; was removed from the position

25. Significance of Movement from Historian POV (Part 1)
Jenn Bumb is a young scholar and historian studying the significance of individual reformers during the 19th century. She wrote an essay explaining Dorothea Dix’s life, as well as the importance that Dix’s legacy has held since it began in the mid-1800’s. While discussing Dix’s efforts that allowed her to found 32 mental health hospitals, Bumb writes, “Not only did her achievements spark immediate response” but that “her changes are still being felt today with the way mental patients are treated” (Dorothea Dix). Dix was able to bring brisk change to the mentally ill throughout her life, but this change has carried into the present-day. Treatment of patients is currently quite advanced, which can be greatly credited to Dix’s “career that was unique in its singleness of purpose” as well as its “magnitude of accomplishment” (Dorothea Dix). Jenn Bumb sees Dorothea Dix’s work as a strong ripple in a pond, one that continues to spread until it reaches the shore.

26. Significance of Movement from Historian POV (Part 2)
Manon S. Parry, a historian who writes for the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, created an in-depth article describing Dorothea Dix’s actions during the Asylum Reform. Not only does he account for her ability to show the benefits of internal improvements but also recognizes her talent of speaking her, “vivid and upsetting descriptions to powerful effect” along with, “damning the existence of these abuses and shaming political leaders into taking action on her behalf” (Dorothea Dix). Parry credits Dix for her, “singular focus on the issue led to some important victories” (Dorothea Dix); victories that he feels molded the public mindset to be more accepting and understanding towards the mentally ill. Within Parry’s writing, he also discusses that her leadership in this cause made her fearless as she challenged the stereotypes that were so strong at the time. Dorothea Dix is certainly a key figure in the mental illness reform that shaped today’s mindset.

27. Summary
Dorothea Dix’s work brought massive change and awareness to the inhumane treatment that the mentally ill were subjected to, during the later half of the 1800’s. Not only were there 123 state mental hospitals by the time Dix passed, she alone helped found 32 of them! The general stigmas that plagued the minds of the public about the worthlessness of the mentally ill had shifted considerably. Additionally, the government had begun to see the benefits of providing funding which is visible through the House and Senate’s willingness to pass Dix’s bill. As Dix showed people, such as the Pope, the horrors of basic living conditions within the prisons and asylums, they recognized the need for change. Additionally, during Dix’s later life, she was a prominent leader for women nurses in the Civil War. During her service, she managed to establish more hospitals and further educate people on the importance of humane treatment.

28. Bibliography
Bumb, Jenn. "Dorothea Dix." Faculty.Webster.Edu, faculty.webster.edu/woolflm/ dorotheadix.html. Accessed 5 Jan
A&E Television Networks. "Dorothea Dix Biography." Biography.com, 24 July 2014, Accessed 8 Jan
"Dorothea Lynde Dix." History.com, dorothea-lynde-dix. Accessed 27 Dec
"Dorothea Dix Quotes." Brainy Quote, Xplore Incorporated, Accessed 3 Jan
Parry, Manon S. "Dorothea Dix ( )." US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, Am J Public Health, 4 Apr. 2006, Accessed 8 Jan
"William Tuke ( )." Science Museum, Cambridge UP, Accessed 8 Jan
Pettinger, Tejvan. "Elizabeth Fry Biography." Biography Online, 16 Dec. 2012, Accessed 8 Jan

29. Bibliography Continued…
Phelps, Shirelle, and Jeffrey Lehman. "Dix, Dorothea Lynde." Gale Virtual Reference Source, 2nd ed., West's Encyclopedia of American Law, 2005, go.galegroup.com/ps/ retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&sea rchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CCX &docType=Biogr aphy&sort=RELEVANCE&contentSegment=&prodId=GVRL&contentSet=GALE%7CCX &searchId=R1&userGroupName=woodinvillehs&inPS=true&u=woodinvillehs&authCount=2. Accessed 8 Jan
"Philippe Pinel." Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Oct. 2003, Pinel. Accessed 8 Jan
"Prison and Asylum Reform." U.S. History, Independence Hall Association, Accessed 8 Jan
Wood, Andrew G. "Dorothea Lynde Dix." American National Biography Online, Accessed 8 Jan
Foundation, Mental Health. "Mental Health Awareness Week." Mental Health Foundation, Accessed 8 Jan