Evening star., 1951-05-13
Angel Of St. EIizobeths
Dorotheo Dix Was the First to Promote
Government Hospital for the Insone
By John cIoqett Proctor

py JOHN NtQ9ett rIoctor
Perhaps you have heard Of
Dorothea Lynde Dix. but II you
have not. then let me tell you
something about this wonderful
woman, who was indefatigable IN
her efforts TO establish the neu-
cleus Of the present Government
Hospital for the Insane, and who
actually made the hospital q
reality.
In The Star Of March 10. 1899,
o well-deserved tribute Is paid her,
AZ follows:
"The establishment Of the pres
ent Government Hospital for the
Insane was brought about by Miss
Dorothea Dix, who had devoted
her life to securing humane treat
ment for the mentally i'll. She
had endeavored to have Congress
set aside q large area Of the public
domain to establish hospitals ir
the various States for this pur.
pose, but after she had secured
the passage Of the necessary act
1T was vetoed by President Pierce
The Civil and Diplomatic Act ot
August 81, 1852, appropriated
500, 900 to enable the Secretary O.
Interior to purchase q site In thu
|neighborhood Of Washington anc
for the erection, furnishing anc
hitting Of an asylum for the insane
|of the Federal District of Colum.
bia and Of the Army and Navy.
THE efforts Of Miss Dix which
resulted in this appropriation
form one of the heroic chapter!
Iof American history. Thirteer
years prior to that action, Mis-.
Dix, then a volunteer teacher ir
the Sunday school maintained by
Harvard Divinity School student.
at the East Cambridge, Mass.
House Of Correction. found a few
insane persons among the pris.
oners. She talked with them, anc
became interested In their sac
lot. They had no stove in theil
room and were left to shiver ir
the cold Of winter like 50 many
wild animals.
In CAGES, Stalls and Pens
Their keeper said it would moi
be safe to give them a fire. Miss
Dix appealed to the court, anc
warmth was provided. Then she
began her investigation into the
condition of the insane from the
Berkshire Hills to the tip Of Cap,
Cod. She proved that insane per.
sons In the Commonwealth ot
Massachusetts, were confined II
cages, closets, cellars. stalls. pens
chained. naked, beaten with rod.
and laShed into obedience.
Her exposures were met with &
storm of denunciation, but sh.
was persistent in her efforts fol
reform. and after success in he,
own State, her labors were ex
tended to other parts Of the coun
try. where the bad treatment O.
the insane was about equal +.
that which had prevailed in Mas
sachusetts. Miss Dix became
well-known figure about the Capi
tai. and after three years of per.
siStent work among Senators ane
Representatives, secured the al.
Ilowance Of 500, ,000."
In 1852, President Fillmore. a
the suggestion of Miss Dix, ap.
pointed DR.. Charles Henry Nichoi!
to superintend the construction
and management Of st. Eliza.
beths Asylum. The doctor wa.
then about 80 years old, havins
been born in Vassalboro, Me.
October 10. 1920.
Securing the Property
DR.. Nichols had trouble tt
start of with. for the site decidee
upon by Miss Dix and himself
and no doubt approved by others
could not be bought for tn.
$25, 600 allotted for this purpose
The property belonged to Thoma,
Blagden and DR.. Nichols had beer
unable to make him part with hi.
187-acre farm for $4,000 les
than he wanted. At last he de.
cided to ask Miss Dix to see wha
she could accomplish with he
persuasive powers. There is moth
ing more to be done!" he ex
claimed to Miss Dix; I'VE shal
have to give the matter up; ant
it is the finest site for a hospita
in the world!"
Miss Dix" we are told, "lis
tened without excitement, am
then replied in her usual tone
I'VE must try what can be done
Seeking a personal interview will
Mr.. Blagden, so earnestly an,
knowingly did she reason with hin
to surrender for the future goo,
of thousands of his suffering fel
low creatures what was so pre-
cious. in d, to him and hi
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