Ten Days in a Mad-House and Other Stories by Nellie Bly

Author:Nellie Bly [Bly, Nellie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Psychology, Medical, General, Psychiatry, Mental Illness, People With Disabilities, Hospital Administration & Care, Biography & Autobiography, Editors; Journalists; Publishers, Social Science
ISBN: 9781466376533
Google: c5QHywAACAAJ
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2011-09-15T04:00:00+00:00

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Ten Days in a Mad-House

releasing their crazy patients. This I can prove to you later when I

come to tell of their cruel treatment of the poor things intrusted to

their care. As I say, in case of fire, not a dozen women could escape.

All would be left to roast to death. Even if the nurses were kind, which they are not, it would require more presence of mind than

women of their class possess to risk the flames and their own lives

while they unlocked the hundred doors for the insane prisoners.

Unless there is a change there will some day be a tale of horror never

equaled.

In this connection is an amusing incident which happened just

previous to my release. I was talking with Dr. Ingram about many

things, and at last told him what I thought would be the result of a

fire.

“The nurses are expected to open the doors,” he said.

“But you know positively that they would not wait to do that,” I

said, “and these women would burn to death.”

He sat silent, unable to contradict my assertion.

“Why don’t you have it changed?” I asked.

“What can I do?” he replied. “I offer suggestions until my brain is

tired, but what good does it do? What would you do?” he asked,

turning to me, the proclaimed insane girl.

“Well, I should insist on them having locks put in, as I have seen in

some places, that by turning a crank at the end of the hall you can

lock or unlock every door on the one side. Then there would be some

chance of escape. Now, every door being locked separately, there is

absolutely none.”

Dr. Ingram turned to me with an anxious look on his kind face as he

asked, slowly:

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