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How Did Dorothea Dix Treat The Mentally Ill

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Recommended: Mental illness in the 1800s

In 1843, Dorothea Dix submitted one of her first memorials to the Massachusetts Legislature. Following her visit to East Cambridge Jail in 1841, the inadequacies in the treatment of the mentally ill Dix had witnessed were highlighted in this memorial; whilst there she saw how prostitutes, drunks and criminals were housed together in unsanitary, unfurnished and unheated quarters. During this period, the mentally ill were treated inhumanely and many believed there was no cure and that the mentally ill did not feel deprivation as “ordinary” people did. Nevertheless, due to the conditions Dix exposed herself to she was often criticised. For example her opponents stated that "no proper lady would expose herself to the moral danger" of the places …show more content…

From 1841 to 1856 her crusades had highlighted the inequalities and the maltreatment of the mentally ill, changing the way people viewed mental health. Throughout her campaign she gained the support of many influential figures including Pope Pius IX and President Fillmore. At the beginning of her campaign in 1841, there had been only 13 mental asylums in the United States but towards the end of her life in 1881 there were 123, personally founding more than 30 of these, as well as numerous support groups. Dix used her position and influence by furthering the asylum movement. Though Dix successfully influenced the increase in hospitals for the mentally ill, injustices within the mentally ill sector would continue as highlighted in Source 8; which implies that though the number of asylums had increased and treatment had improved, inequalities amongst patients still remained. Despite this, Goldenson has claimed Dix as “the most effective advocate of humanitarian reform in American mental institutions during the nineteenth century”. Similarly, Kovach has stated that "there are few cases in history where a social movement of such proportions can be attributed to the work of a single individual” due to her relentless and persisting efforts in improving the lives of the mentally ill. Consequently, Dorothea Dix played a significant role in improving the lives of the mentally ill in spite of being unable to improve and change certain aspects within the asylum movement. She had successfully brought to life the maltreatment of the mentally ill resulting in an improvement in the treatment of the mentally

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