Ten Days in a Mad-House: Chapter 1

Ten Days in a Mad-House

• Nellie Bly wrote "Ten Days in a Mad-House."
• Published with "Miscellaneous Sketches: Trying to be a Servant," and "Nellie Bly as a White Slave."
• Nellie Bly's real name was Elizabeth Jane Cochrane Seaman.
• She lived from 1864 to 1922.
• The publisher was Ian L. Munro, of New York.
• The book cost twenty-five cents.
• Bly wrote the story following her experiences in Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum.
• She received hundreds of letters regarding her story's publication in the World.
• Requests made the story's re-issuing in book form.
• Her visit led to New York City allocating $1,000,000 more per annum to caring for the insane.
• Bly felt satisfied the unfortunate would be better cared for because of her work.

Chapter 1: A Delicate Mission

• September 22, Bly was asked by the World to get herself committed to a New York insane asylum.
• She wished to write a plain narrative on patient treatment and management methods.
• She wondered if she had the courage for such an ordeal.
• She considered whether she could simulate insanity enough to deceive doctors and live among the insane for a week.
• She had faith in her acting ability and thought she could feign insanity long enough to complete any assigned mission.
• She thought she could spend a week in Blackwell's Island's insane ward.
• Instructions required her to chronicle her experiences and describe the asylum's workings, hidden by nurses, bolts, and bars.
• The editor didn't want sensational revelations and only asked for the truth.
• If admitted to the asylum, she had no idea her experiences would be anything more than a simple tale of life in the institution.
• She didn't believe an institution could be mismanaged or treat people cruelly.
• Bly had a desire to know asylum life more thoroughly and to be convinced of proper care for the insane.
• Stories of abuse were something she thought to be exaggerations or romances.
• She accepted the mission to understand the inner workings of the Blackwell Island Insane Asylum.
• Bly asked how to get out after getting in.
• The editor replied that they would reveal her identity and purpose if necessary.
• Bly had little faith in deceiving insanity experts, and she indicated that her editor had even less.
• She planned preliminary preparations but passed under the pseudonym Nellie Brown.
• The initials agreed with her own name and her linen.
• She could feign insanity at a friend's house and get committed by two physicians.
• Her other option was to go to the police courts.
• She thought it was better not to inflict herself on friends or get assistance from doctors.
• Her acquaintance with the struggling poor was superficial and friends would have had to feign poverty.
• She succeeded in getting committed to the insane ward at Blackwell's Island for ten days and nights.
• She enacted the role of a poor, unfortunate crazy girl, and experienced a lot, along with hearing the treatment of the helpless class.
• She left the insane ward with pleasure and regret, that she was unable to bring other women who lived and suffered with her.
• She became convinced they were just as sane as she was.
• From the moment she entered the ward, she ceased trying to keep up her role of insanity.
• The more sanely she talked and acted, the crazier she was thought to be, except by one physician.

Chapter 2: Preparing for the Ordeal

• Receiving her instructions, Bly returned to her boarding-house and began practicing the role of appearing insane.
• She considered it a difficult task to appear before people and convince them that she was insane.
• She had never been near insane persons before, and didn't know their actions.
• Bly feared deceiving physicians who specialized in insanity.
• She flew to the mirror and examined her face.
• She remembered crazy people read of with staring eyes, so she opened hers as wide as possible and stared unblinkingly at her own reflection.
• She tried to turn the gas up higher, hoping that would raise her courage.
• The weather wasn't cold, but wintery chills ran up and down her back with slowly taking the curl out of her bangs.
• She practiced and pictured her future as a lunatic.
• Bly read snatches of improbable ghost stories to feel ready.
• She took her morning bath and quietly bade farewell to a few of the most precious articles known to modern civilization.
• Putting her tooth-brush aside. she murmured it may be for days or longer.
• She donned clothing selected for the occasion.
• It's just as well to take a last "fond look," she mused for who could tell the strain of playing crazy may turn her brain and never get back.
• Not once did she think of shirking her mission and calmly going out to her crazy business.
• She thought it best to go to a boarding-house and tell she was seeking work and later would go insane.
• She feared this idea would take too long to mature.
• She thought of going to a working women's boarding-home, and houseful of women would never rest until she was in secure quarters.
• She selected the Temporary Home for Females in a directory and determined to get to Blackwell's Island and the Insane Asylum.

Chapter 3: In the Temporary Home

• Bly was left to begin her career as Nellie Brown and she tried to assume the look of maidens in pictures titled "Dreaming".
• "Far-away" expressions have a crazy air.
• She pulled the bell and waited to be cast forth on the charity of the police.
• The door opened with vengeance, and a short, yellow-haired girl stood before me.
• After these not overkind or polite instructions, I found myself in a dark, uncomfortable back-parlor where I waited for my hostess.
• After twenty minutes, a slender woman dressed plainly entered, and said inquiringly, "Well?".
• Told she wanted to stay for a few days.
• Told she had no single rooms, but would occupy a room with another girl.
• She had about seventy cents, and knew soon funds would be exhausted she'd be put out.
• Assistant matron said rent is thirty cents a night and left on the plea having something else to look after.
• There was a wardrobe, desk, book-case, organ, and several chairs in the room with too little daylight.
• When becoming familiar with quarters a bell rang that rivaled the door-bell, women trooped downstairs and signs of dinner.
• As no one said anything no effort to follow, wished she would ask to let her down.
• Glad when the assistant matron asked to eat, replied she did, and asked assistant matron's name.
• Said Mrs. Stanard, and she immediately wrote it down in a notebook.
• Equipped, awaiting developments.
• Followed Mrs. Stanard down uncarpeted stairs into basement where a large number of women were eating.
• She found me a table with three other women
• The short-haired slavey who had opened the door placed arms akimbo and staring.
• Asked; "Boiled mutton, boiled beef, beans, potatoes, coffee or tea?"
• "Beef, potatoes, coffee and bread," I responded.
• "Bread goes in," explained when making way to the kitchen, returned with order on a large badly battered tray.
• The simple meal wasn't enticing, watched the others instead.
• Where was a home for deserving women and there was not modern beautifiers as varnish, polish and table-covers.
• Each woman went to the desk in the corner, where Mrs. Stanard sat, and paid her bill.
• Had a much-used, and abused, red check by the waitress whose bill was about thirty cents.
• Went upstairs resumed old place in the back parlor uncomfortable because colder.
• Decided sooner I assumed my insane points sooner released from enforced idleness on longest day.
• Watched women in the front parlor where all sat except. One read and scratched head called out Georgie.
• Another woman kept going to sleep and waking up with snoring.
• Was only thankful it was herself she awakened.
• Majority of women sat doing nothing, knit and made lace unceasingly.
• Then the enormous door-bell seemed to be going bell one.
• Aside from woman from the country on shopping expedition, were working women, with children.
• Drew toward evening Mrs. Stanard asked.
• "What is wrong with you? Have you some sorrow or trouble?"
• stunned almost by the suggestion. "Why?"
• Answered because, womanlike "I can see it in your face.
• "It tells the story of a great trouble."
• Replied you must not allow that to worry all that and say we'll get over them.
• Mrs. Stanard asked; "Would you like to be a nurse for children and wear a nice white cap and apron?”
• Replied putting hankerchief up to face to hide a smile.
• In muffled tone; "I never worked; I don't know how."
• Mrs Starnd asked you have to learn; all these women work.
• "Do they?" I said in low, thrilling whisper because all look horrible here, just like crazy people.
• Assured they dont look very nice, but “we do not keep crazy people"
• thought it she thought she has one crazy person around before morning.
• Was there and partook similar meal except fare smaller.
• After evening meal had adjourned halls, and enveloped navy blue spirits.
• First thought that the more sociable women could provide for myself.
• In the woman that can have, I sat down with gloves.
• Listened the convos that I am thinking of looking with observation
• I sad that ever one was here and said to be crazy, one was Mrs King and that you can not say you have to learn and earn at work place.

Chapter 4: Preparing for the Ordeal

• Bocker gave and said, find the best that you have trunk for you and I and that is the to come to, a, the best that I could do.
• You told then the story of being sad and the home with no other, you can’t be trusted
• Some has been there in the long way or did not see or have the time as the affair is, is there to see at the heart a sun of kindness, every line of face and sinking heart I asked some
• Did this need the truck help me for men.
• Stanard said the the judge needs a lot it will the best, was said they don’t need know for or tell what is is next
• The back to the officer who could come is that the girl had never taken the city.
• To know of it was an and the I that do to.
• Said I had of is and what is here?
• All you for and do see to it I, but had the chance
• You are now in and man can see the.

Chapter 5: Pronounced Insane

• Here is girl and the is said so it if as
• I her what he the had
• Bocker would to that.

Chapter 6:

• Bellevue we I way I and homed I and I
• How who I I what and I
• What do I have are I
• Of said to I had

Chapter 7:

• So if you are know that for you know who will that of
• Was not what is why do the what have

Chapter 8:

• I had and that is to are they I will the at know then you
• It for It the had will are they and
• In for they of I with I what what is was what do I and them and how of it