Dorothea Dix Accomplishments
The Life and Accomplishments of Dorothea Dix
Claire M. Okkema
Valparaiso University
I have neither given nor received nor have I tolerated others’ use of unauthorized aid.
A humanitarian devoted to the welfare of the mentally ill, Dorothea Dix challenged 19th century America’s most incorrigible social problems. Dix was a tireless evangelist, and her extensive work has left a selfless legacy. Dismissing all opposition, Dix created a solution for the growing crisis of public institutions, fearlessly led countless nurses in the Civil War as the Union’s Superintendent, and advocated her vision of philanthropy through social reformation. However, Dix’s incredible accomplishments were crafted from a humble beginning.
Dorothea Lynde
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Shocked to see prisoners devoid of medical and moral treatment in damp, cold quarters, Dix vowed to end the barbaric and revolting degradation. Very little of the population knew or cared about the mentally ill’s peril, and Dix’s crusade changed the way the mentally ill were received. Dix not only shed light on the nation’s most perplexing problem, she fearlessly shoved the issue squarely into the center of public policy, broadcasting the issue through her written account On Behalf of the Insane and Poor. Dix constructed 32 hospitals and 13 asylums throughout America and Europe (Reddi, 2005, para. 6). Most of these symbols of hope and progress are still standing today. In addition, Dix effectively lobbied for better prison conditions, and in 1843, she successfully influenced the Massachusetts legislature to pass a bill requiring better treatment and hospitalization for the mentally ill (Haas, vol. 57, p. 1465) To Dix, the mentally ill were not criminals, and her voice was heard. Lastly, Dix redefined the fledgling career of nursing, and instilled her expertise to improve the way nurses operated. Nicknamed “Dragon Dix” for her autocratic methodology, Dix applied her iron will and progressive attitude to the battlefield in the Civil War. With a myriad of qualifications such a plain appearance and no prior illness, Dix proved that women could perform just as well as men in the war. Ultimately, Dix earned the prestigious title of Superintendent of the Union Army Nurses.
In conclusion, Dorothea Dix was an advocate for the mentally ill and pioneered a movement that changed America’s perspective of the insane. An instrumental figure in America’s history, Dix created a solution for one of America’s most dissolute problems. Despite her harsh beginning, Dix’s critical thinking and intellectual pursuits successfully planted a movement that would have otherwise gone
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