Undeniably, Nellie Bly was one of the journalistic diamonds of the late 19th century and her series of articles, which would be compiled into the book “10 Days in a Mad-House,” certainly showcase why. At the request of the “New York World” newspaper, Bly managed to not only have herself committed to a mental asylum, but a particularly rank one at that.
In 1887, Bly was a twenty-three-year-old woman with no experience interacting with the mentally ill in a time period when the specifics of mental illness were largely obscured from public sight. Bly’s determination and grit to do the task assigned are as exceptional as they are admirable. Nonetheless, readers will likely be shocked that her performance, which in no way mimicked what we would call today “insane,” managed to achieve the goal she sought. It is a testament to the pitiful lack of women’s rights that her behavior resulted in a commitment to the Blackwell’s Island Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Once there, Bly witnessed grotesque neglect, nutritional deprivation, and violence perpetrated against the inmates. The conditions were so extreme and vicious that at least one woman died directly due to institutional cruelty. Unsurprisingly, given the meager symptoms which Bly had demonstrated herself to gain entry into the madhouse, Bly found many other women imprisoned there who were suffering from no mental affliction whatsoever beyond the natural effects of the inhumane treatment the asylum subjected them to.
The book presents a fantastic story, as Bly’s boss knew in advance that it would. On a negative note, however powerful that story is, Bly’s talent as a writer, or perhaps the lack thereof, makes it difficult in many places to stay focused. From the first page, the articles presented are very poorly edited and, were one to judge Bly by her literary style, rather than the outstanding plot for the book, she would be found sorely lacking. Over a century later, no doubt, if Bly undertook this same assignment, the book would still be published, but, more likely than not, the newspaper would hire a ghostwriter to bring the tale to life.
