Dorothea Dix April 4, 1802-July 17,1887

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Dorothea DixApril 4, 1802-July 17,1887

• In a world where there is so much to be done, I
  felt strongly impressed that there must be
  something for me to do.-Dorothea Dix

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Dorothea Dix

• 1840-1841 conducted an investigation throughout
  Massachusetts of how the state cared for insane
  poor learned that the system was unorganized
• Wrote report A Memorial that was published to the
  state legislature, which led to a bill that
  expanded Massachusetts mental hospital in
  Worcester.
• Travelled all over country to document conditions
  of mental hospitals and publish her findings to
  state legislatures in the hopes of creating
  legislation to help improve the condition of
  mental hospitals and madhouses.
• Bill for the Benefit of the Indigent Insane set
  aside 12,255,000 acres of federal land for the
  benefit of the insane, blind, deaf, and dumb
  Vetoed by President Franklin Pierce because
  social reform is not the federal governments
  responsibility
• Named Superintendent of Army Nurses for the Union
  Army during the Civil War

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Dorothea Dix

• Reason for the creation of the Scottish Lunacy
  Commission
• Reformed Americas social welfare to benefit the
  condition of mental asylums, hospitals, and
  madhouses
• Elected President for Life of the Army Nurses
  Association
• Provided care for the Confederate soldiers
  injured during the Civil War
• Helped to create new mental hospitals in many of
  the states at the time, including Pennsylvania,
  North Carolina, and Illinois (some hospitals are
  still in use)