46 pages • 1 hour read
Nellie BlyTen Days In A Mad-House
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1887A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 13-17Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 13 Summary: “Choking and Beating Patients”
Bly continued to observe the poor treatment and harsh conditions faced by the patients, such as Miss Tillie Mayard, who suffered severely from the cold. Bly pleaded with the nurses for additional clothing, pointing out the cruelty of keeping patients in such conditions. The nurses dismissed her concerns, insisting that Mayard was dressed as warmly as everyone else. Mayard collapsed into a fit; Miss Neville tried to help her and was told by a nurse to let Mayard fall to “teach her a lesson” (75). After Bly complained to Superintendent Dent about the nurses’ behavior, food, and insufficient clothing, he responded with only temporary concern.
Bly witnessed the neglect and abuse of other patients, including Urena Little-Page, who was taunted and physically punished by the nurses. They mocked Urena’s sensitivity about her age until she became increasingly upset, and then they slapped her, choked her, and locked her in a closet. This violent punishment seemed to spur the nurses on, and they soon targeted an elderly woman, dragging her out of the room by her hair and forcing her into the closet. Bly attempted to report this abuse to the doctors, but they ignored her.
Chapter 14 Summary: “Some Unfortunate Stories”
Bly delves deeper into the lives of her fellow patients and the appalling conditions they endured. She introduces several women, such as Louise, a German woman who was feverish and malnourished; she claimed to see her deceased parents and described being frequently beaten by the nurses. Bly also introduces Josephine Despreau, a French immigrant who was mistakenly institutionalized and was choked by staff for crying in despair. Sarah Fishbaum, institutionalized by her husband, was taunted about men by the nurses, while Margaret, who was committed for anger at work, hoped that her obedience would prove her wellness. Other women, including Mrs. McCartney, displayed no signs of mental illness.
Bly observed constant physical abuse from the nurses, including a nurse blackening a new patient’s eye and frequently ridiculing an older patient named Matilda. The night nurse, Burns, was one of the few compassionate attendants. During “bathing day,” patients were forced to bathe in the same dirty water without proper hygiene. In despair, patients dreamed of food and condemned the institution’s cruelty. Bly watched Miss Mayard’s mental state deteriorate as she developed paranoid delusions.
Bly also recorded the harrowing experiences of Mrs. Cotter, who was beaten severely after leaving her line to approach her husband. Cotter described being choked, beaten, and submerged in cold water. Another woman, Bridget McGuinness, described being strangled and beaten by nurses, revealing the mistreatment suffered by women in “the Lodge.”
Chapter 15 Summary: “Incidents of Asylum Life”
Life in the asylum was bleak and monotonous. The patients produced asylum clothing through sewing, but this work failed to occupy their minds meaningfully. Those in higher halls had views of the city, and some would gaze longingly toward New York City, yearning for freedom. Bly observed how deeply the women desired release and how many held onto fragile hopes of returning home.
Bly witnessed various mental states among patients, including those who sat in silence, while others spoke to invisible figures, responding to commands in an automatic way. She noted the haunting cry of a young Irish woman who believed herself damned. Bly’s transfer to Hall 6 brought even more discomfort, as she shared a room with unstable patients, one of whom roamed at night with violent intentions. Other patients clung to memory or fantasy, such as a woman who “read” extraordinary tales from a piece of newspaper.
Bly also describes a rare visit from an infant, which triggered grief in a mother who had been separated from her children. Patients received limited, hollow amusements, like weekly rides on a merry-go-round and, for some, labor in factories that only left them hungrier.
Chapter 16 Summary: “The Last Good-Bye”
Another woman, Pauline Moser, arrived, and her presence seemed to provoke additional torment from the nurses. Nurse Grupe encouraged a mentally ill Irish woman to act out, further amplifying the chaos. Bly regularly tried to communicate her wellness to the doctors, but each attempt only solidified their doubt.
After Bly raised concerns with Dr. Ingram, he agreed to transfer her to a relatively quieter ward, Hall 7. There, Bly observed abusive behaviors, like finger twisting and face slapping, but she found the environment generally less hostile than Hall 6. She noticed an unsettling lack of privacy, as patients were required to undress in the hall. Bly also noted superficial attempts to make the ward appear welcoming—such as cheap decorations and occasional church services for select patients. A “commissioner” visiting the facility prompted temporary changes, such as requiring all nurses to remain on duty until patients had finished eating.
When Peter Hendricks, a lawyer, finally arrived to facilitate her release, Bly felt an unexpected pang of guilt at leaving her companions to face their grim fate. As she approached freedom, her relief at escaping the asylum overtook her, and she departed, both liberated and haunted by the experience.
Chapter 17 Summary: “The Grand Jury Investigation”
Bly appeared before the Grand Jury to recount her experiences and advocate for better treatment of asylum patients. She narrated her journey through the Temporary Home and Bellevue, describing the abuse and neglect that she observed on Blackwell’s Island.
The jurors then accompanied her on a visit to the asylum to verify her claims. Despite efforts to keep their trip confidential, the asylum staff appeared to have been forewarned, and numerous changes had been made. Conditions were dramatically improved: Fresh food and white bread were displayed, the kitchen was clean with open barrels of salt, and new basins replaced the buckets in Hall 7. The nurses behaved kindly, and the bedding was upgraded. Many of the women whom Bly had befriended had either vanished or been moved.
Despite these changes, Bly’s testimony convinced the jury, and they endorsed her proposed reforms. Her exposé led to an additional $1 million in government funding for improved asylum care, validating her mission to drive change.
Chapters 13-17 Analysis
In the final chapters of Ten Days in a Mad-House, Bly illustrates how The Power of the Written Word to Effect Social Change can reveal hidden injustices and lead to real-world improvements. Bly’s testimony to the Grand Jury was pivotal, as her once-dismissed claims received validation and legal authority. Her reporting, grounded in her firsthand experience at Blackwell’s Island, went beyond observation to demand accountability, resulting in a $1 million appropriation for better care of people with mental health conditions—which was an unprecedented level of funding at the time. This accomplishment underscores the potential for journalism to serve as a bridge between hidden abuses and public awareness, transforming suffering into reform.
The structure of these chapters strengthens Bly’s credibility, as she recounts how she transitioned from an “inmate” in the asylum, whose words were disbelieved, to a respected investigator testifying before the Grand Jury. This structural progression reflects the transformation of her voice from silenced to heard and valued. Through her narrative, Bly highlights the irony of her experience in the asylum, where she repeatedly asserted her wellness to doctors and staff who ignored her. Unlike the doctors at Blackwell’s Island, who refused to listen, the Grand Jury accepted her story as credible. This contrast emphasizes the failure of the asylum’s system to provide any avenue for patients to defend their own truths, while also spotlighting the power imbalance that allowed these institutions to operate without scrutiny.
By ultimately validating her claims, the Grand Jury reinforced Bly’s position as a trusted voice for asylum patients. Bly’s portrayal of their prompt acceptance juxtaposes with the profound dismissal that she and other patients endured within the asylum walls. This structural contrast elevates the importance of external oversight and the essential role of investigative journalism in advocating for vulnerable populations.
In continuing to develop the theme of The Societal and Systematic Mistreatment of Mentally Ill Individuals, Bly underscores the pervasiveness of institutional abuse and neglect. During the Grand Jury’s visit, the asylum presented a façade of cleanliness, order, and adequate supplies. Bly astutely noted this stark departure from her previous experiences in the asylum, exposing how quickly the institution shifted its approach to placate outside observers. This charade was a testament to the institution’s lack of genuine care for its patients, as evidenced by the sudden improvements made solely for appearances, further reinforcing Bly’s arguments for systemic reform.
The societal disregard for mentally ill individuals was underscored by the asylum’s response to Bly’s initial allegations: Rather than ensuring patients’ well-being, authorities manipulated their surroundings to conceal ongoing mistreatment. This deep-seated problem was reflected in Bly’s conversations with staff members like Dr. Dent, who openly admitted the inadequacies of the system, from insufficient funding to unqualified doctors. His resignation to these deficiencies highlights an institutional culture more invested in maintaining appearances than pursuing meaningful care for those with a mental illness. Through this lens, Bly’s reporting extends beyond Blackwell’s Island to critique a broader culture of neglect toward people with mental health conditions, questioning the motives and competence of the very systems meant to protect them.
Bly’s emotional conflict and compassion for the patients she left behind add a deeply personal layer to her narrative, highlighting her internal struggle between a desire for freedom and a lingering sense of duty. As she describes her “Quixotic” urge to stay with the patients, despite her own release, Bly subtly evokes a literary allusion to Don Quixote, the titular character of which is known for his impractical idealism and relentless pursuit of justice. This reference adds a layer of vulnerability to Bly’s voice, as she acknowledges the limitations of her influence despite her profound empathy. The fleeting nature of her idealistic urge—overpowered by the pull of freedom—reflects both the weight of her experience and the limits of what one person can bear.
Bly’s narrative style in these chapters, with her meticulous attention to tone and imagery, reinforces the horrors of institutional life and the urgency of reform. Descriptions of the women peering through barred windows at the city, longingly hoping for release, become a powerful metaphor for the isolation and entrapment that characterized the asylum. The unsettling imagery of patients left in hopeless conditions—a young mother grieving over her lost children and the Irish girl believing herself damned—is meant to inspire empathy and outrage, furthering Bly’s call for change. Bly’s descriptions of abuse at the hands of nurses who reveled in patients’ confusion and pain contrast sharply with the Grand Jury’s positive reception, effectively framing her story as a testament to the potential for change through the exposure of truth.
