Ten Days in a Mad-House; or, Nellie Bly's Experience on Blackwell's Island.: Feigning Insanity in Order to Reveal Asylum Horrors. The Trying Ordeal of the New York World's Girl Correspondent. — John Shaqi
Ten Days in a Mad-House; or, Nellie Bly's Experience on Blackwell's Island.: Feigning Insanity in Order to Reveal Asylum Horrors. The Trying Ordeal of the New York World's Girl Correspondent.Bly, Nellie
History
Ten Days in a Mad-House; or, Nellie Bly's Experience on Blackwell's Island.: Feigning Insanity in Order to Reveal Asylum Horrors. The Trying Ordeal of the New York World's Girl Correspondent.
Bly, Nellie
Bly, Nellie, 1864-1922; Mentally ill -- Commitment and detention -- New York (State) -- History -- 19th century; N.Y. City Lunatic Asylum; Psychiatric hospital care -- New York (State) -- History -- 19th century; Psychiatric hospitals -- New York (State) -- History -- 19th century; Women -- Mental h
At last Bellevue was reached, the third station on my way to the island.
I had passed through successfully the ordeals at the home and at Essex
Market Police Court, and now felt confident that I should not fail. The
ambulance stopped with a sudden jerk and the doctor jumped out. “How
many have you?” I heard some one inquire. “Only one, for the pavilion,”
was the reply. A rough-looking man came forward, and catching hold of me
attempted to drag me out as if I had the strength of an elephant and
would resist. The doctor, seeing my look of disgust, ordered him to
leave me alone, saying that he would take charge of me himself. He then
lifted me carefully out and I walked with the grace of a queen past the
crowd that had gathered curious to see the new unfortunate. Together
with the doctor I entered a small dark office, where there were several
men. The one behind the desk opened a book and began on the long string
of questions which had been asked me so often.
I refused to answer, and the doctor told him it was not necessary to
trouble me further, as he had all the papers made out, and I was too
insane to be able to tell anything that would be of consequence. I felt
relieved that it was so easy here, as, though still undaunted, I had
begun to feel faint for want of food. The order was then given to take
me to the insane pavilion, and a muscular man came forward and caught me
so tightly by the arm that a pain ran clear through me. It made me
angry, and for a moment I forgot my _role_ as I turned to him and said:
“How dare you touch me?” At this he loosened his hold somewhat, and I
shook him off with more strength than I thought I possessed.
“I will go with no one but this man,” I said, pointing to the
ambulance-surgeon. “The judge said that he was to take care of me, and I
will go with no one else.”
At this the surgeon said that he would take me, and so we went arm in
arm, following the man who had at first been so rough with me. We passed
through the well-cared-for grounds and finally reached the insane ward.
A white-capped nurse was there to receive me.
“This young girl is to wait here for the boat,” said the surgeon, and
then he started to leave me. I begged him not to go, or to take me with
him, but he said he wanted to get his dinner first, and that I should
wait there for him. When I insisted on accompanying him he claimed that
he had to assist at an amputation, and it would not look well for me to
be present. It was evident that he believed he was dealing with an
insane person. Just then the most horrible insane cries came from a yard
in the rear. With all my bravery I felt a chill at the prospect of being
shut up with a fellow-creature who was really insane. The doctor
evidently noticed my nervousness, for he said to the attendant:
“What a noise the carpenters make.”
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