Ten Days in a Mad-House Quotes

“I said I could and I would. And I did.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“It is only after one is in trouble that one realizes how little sympathy and kindness there are in the world.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“While I live I hope.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“To have a good brain the stomach must be cared for.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“I would like the expert physicians who are condemning me for my action, which has proven their ability, to take a perfectly sane and healthy woman, shut her up and make her sit from 6 A. M. until 8 P. M. on straight-back benches, do not allow her to talk or move during these hours, give her no reading and let her know nothing of the world or its doings, give her bad food and harsh treatment, and see how long it will take to make her insane. Two months would make her a mental and physical wreck.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“The insane asylum on Blackwell's Island is a human rat-trap. It is easy to get in, but once there it is impossible to get out.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“Compare this with a criminal, who is given every chance to prove his innocence. Who would not rather be a murderer and take the chance for life than be declared insane, without hope of escape?”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“I felt sure now that no doctor could tell whether people were insane or not, so long as the case was not violent. Later”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“A pretty young Hebrew woman spoke so little English I could not get her story except as told by the nurses. They said her name is Sarah Fishbaum, and that her husband put her in the asylum because she had a fondness for other men than himself.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“After this, I began to have a smaller regard for the ability of doctors than I ever had before, and a greater one for myself. I felt sure now that no doctor could tell whether people were insane or not, so long as the case was not violent.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“The attendants seemed to find amusement and pleasure in exciting the violent patients to do their worst.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“I have watched patients stand and gaze longingly toward the city they in all likelihood will never enter again. It means liberty and life; it seems so near, and yet heaven is not further from hell.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“That was the greatest night of my existence. For a few hours I stood face to face with “self!” I”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“As I passed a low pavilion, where a crowd of helpless lunatics were confined, I read a motto on the wall, “While I live I hope”. The absurdity of it struck me forcibly. I would have liked to put above the gates that open to the asylum, “He who enters here leaveth hope behind”.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“What is this place?” I asked of the man, who had his fingers sunk into the flesh of my arm. “Blackwell’s Island, an insane place, where you’ll never get out of”.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“But here let me say one thing: From the moment, I entered the insane ward on the Island, I made no attempt to keep up the assumed role of insanity. I talked and acted just as I do in ordinary life. Yet strange to say, the more sanely I talked and acted the crazier I was thought to be by all except one physician, whose kindness and gentle ways I shall not soon forget.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“But here was a woman taken without her own consent from the free world to an asylum and there given no chance to prove her sanity. Confined most probably for life behind asylum bars, without even being told in her language the why and wherefore. Compare this with a criminal, who is given every chance to prove his innocence. Who would not rather be a murderer and take the chance for life than be declared insane, without hope of escape?”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“The turned-down pages of my life were turned up, and the past was present.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“CHAPTER V. PRONOUNCED INSANE”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“I have often moralized on the repulsive form charity always assumes! Here was a home for deserving women and yet what a mockery the name was. The floor was bare, and the little wooden tables were sublimely ignorant of such modern beautifiers as varnish, polish and table-covers.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“A fire is not improbable, but one of the most likely occurrences. Should the building burn, the jailers or nurses would never think of 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. Everyone 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 someday be a tale of horror never equaled.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“Do you know that only insane people are sent to this pavilion?” I asked. “Yes, I know; but I am unable to do anything. The doctors refuse to listen to me, and it is useless to say anything to the nurses”.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“I said I believed I could. I had some faith in my own ability as an actress and thought I could assume insanity long enough to accomplish any mission intrusted to me. Could I pass a week in the insane ward at Blackwell’s Island? I said I could and I would. And I did.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“SINCE my experiences in Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum were published in the World I have received hundreds of letters in regard to it. The edition containing my story long since ran out, and I have been prevailed upon to allow it to be published in book form, to satisfy the hundreds who are yet asking for copies. I am happy to be able to state as a result of my visit to the asylum and the exposures consequent thereon, that the City of New York has appropriated $1,000,000 more per annum than ever before for the care of the insane. So, I have at least the satisfaction of knowing that the poor unfortunates will be the better cared for because of my work.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“Quando si vivono certe esperienze e ci si scontra con problemi mai concepiti, si realizza quanto il mondo pecchi in simpatia e gentilezza.”
― Nellie Bly, Dieci giorni in manicomio

“Another thing quite as noticeable, I had more men try to get up a flirtation with me while I was a box-factory girl than I ever had before. The girls were nice in their manners and as polite as ones reared at home. They never forgot to thank one another for the slightest service, and there was quite a little air of "good form" in many of their actions. I have seen many worse girls in much higher positions than the white slaves of New York.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“Well, I don't care about that," she said. "You are in a public institution now, and you can't expect to get anything. This is charity, and you should be thankful for what you get.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“VERY EARLY THE OTHER MORNING I started out, not with the pleasure-seekers, but with those who toil the day long that they may live.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“In the conversation with me, he said: "I am glad you did this now, and had I known your purpose, I would have aided you. We have no means of learning the way things are going except to do as you did. Since your story was published I found a nurse at the Retreat who had watches set for our approach, just as you had stated. She was dismissed.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House

“They grabbed her, and my heart ached as she cried: "For God sake, ladies, don't let them beat me." "Shut up, you hussy!" said Miss Grady as she caught the woman by her gray hair and dragged her shrieking and pleading from the room. She was also taken to the closet, and her cries grew lower and lower, and then ceased.”
― Nellie Bly, Ten Days in a Mad-House