Ten Days In A Mad-House

Bly and her companions arrived at Blackwell’s Island, where her initial satisfaction was quickly overshadowed by her companions’ visible despair. She noted the asylum’s grim, prison-like atmosphere, heightened by the foul stench coming from the kitchen. As they entered, Bly experienced a flash of panic at realizing that she had been declared “insane” by multiple doctors, confining her alongside others labeled as “lunatics.”

The group underwent cursory evaluations by asylum staff, beginning with Miss Tillie Mayard, who pleaded rationally for a chance to prove her “sanity,” only to be dismissed without consideration. Another patient, Mrs. Louise Schanz, who spoke only German, was denied an interpreter and was committed without understanding her circumstances. 

By the time of her own examination, Bly resolved to maintain her cover while documenting the facility’s failures, noting the indifference and systemic mistreatment within Blackwell’s.

Bly underwent a superficial medical evaluation with Dr. Kinier, which was marked more by his interactions with the nurse than by serious examination of her condition. The doctor barely acknowledged her statements, noting only her basic measurements while focusing on flirtatious small talk with the nurse.