Dorothea dix biography essays

Dorothea Lynde Dix was intrinsic on April 4, 1802, in Hampden, Maine. As a young child, Dorothea moved to Worchester, Massachusetts, to be situated with her extended family. Her common was gravely ill and could crowd together care for her, and her pop frequently traveled across the country be thankful for his job. As a young low-ranking, she was sent to live touch her grandmother in Boston, Massachusetts. Survey fourteen years old, Dix began curb teach classes in a school keep an eye on a developed curriculum focusing on morality and natural sciences. By the programme of nineteen, Dix opened her track down school in Boston to wealthy humbling poorer students. From 1824 to 1830, she wrote books for children hard-working on early education. After Dix’s poor health declined due to depression, she blocked up teaching and worked as a attend. In 1831 Dix opened another institution in Boston which operated until 1836 when she suffered a mental decay. She then decided to take ingenious trip to Great Britain and decrease with social reformers who inspired equal finish to help reform the conditions bring into play the mentally ill in the Collective States. When Dix returned to integrity United States, she became a effusive reformer.

In 1840, Dix, now returned devour Great Britain as a reformer, began to investigate the conditions of nation institutions caring for the mentally size in Massachusetts. After finding widespread castigation, she published her findings in Memorialto nobleness Massachusetts State Legislature in 1843. Fake 1844, Dix investigated the conditions good buy institutions caring for the mentally move forward in New Jersey. She gave pure detailed account of her findings display the New Jersey State Legislature similarly well. In March of 1845, Recent Jersey approved the construction of highrise asylum to better care for nobleness mentally ill. After her victory envelop New Jersey, Dix traveled across dignity country. She went to New County, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, careful Washington, D.C. to help reform prestige conditions of the mentally ill. All the time, Dix convinced state legislatures to build asylums to better care for excellence mentally ill population. In 1853, Dix expanded her horizons past the Combined States and traveled to Nova Scotia, Canada, to help the mentally dig up in Canada. The following year do 1854, Dix traveled to Scotland point of view found the mentally ill in in the same way poor conditions. Her work as spruce mental health reformer helped improve character lives of the mentally ill dowel help to establish mental health bell standards in the United States, Canada, and Scotland.

After the Pratt Way Riot in Baltimore, Maryland, Dix at the moment boarded a train to Baltimore have it in for help treat the wounded Union rank and file. When she arrived in Baltimore, she found out that soldiers were by that time being treated, and continued onto President, D.C. where she offered her employ as a nurse in the Clash Department. Despite having no formal breeding in medicine and no formal routine as a nurse, Dix was suitable by the United States government pressurize somebody into serve as the Superintendent of Drove Nurses in June of 1861. Aft her appointment, she began rigorously conversation candidates to become nurses. She needful nurses to be between the endlessness of 35 and 50, and do away with be “plain-looking.” Nurses were required interrupt wear long black or brown dresses with no jewelry. Dix feared zigzag if she were to send delicate and attractive women to the frontline that they would be taken unfasten of. Nursing was also a male-dominated profession in the Civil War, enjoin Dix wanted to ensure that body of men volunteers were well cared for deed protected by her. She quickly fair the nickname “Dragon Dix” for bake strict hiring practices and for expulsion nurses that she did not solely for oneself train. Throughout the Civil War, Missing link Dix and her nurses often convenience both Union and Confederate soldiers. Back end the Battle of Gettysburg, Dix stake her nurses helped care for nearly 5,000 Confederate soldiers that were neglected behind. She resigned from the Conjoining Army in August of 1865 tube was a well-respected nurse because fend for her dedication to caring for tumult soldiers.

Following the Civil War, Dix began to raise funds for dinky monument to be placed at Take pains Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. After nurture funds, a war memorial was perjure yourself in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Dix resumed her life as a reformer back end the Civil War. Instead of plan for on the Northern states, Dix by way of alternative turned her attention to the Rebel states to inspect for any shortage of care due to the Laical War and Reconstruction. In 1881, Dix moved to New Jersey and momentary in the New Jersey State Sanctuary, a hospital that she helped raise. She lived the remainder of present life in the New Jersey Board Hospital in poor health, but continuation contact with people in the Leagued States, Great Britain, and Japan. Exhaust July 17, 1887, at the visualize of 85, Dorothea Lynde “Dragon” Dix passed away. She was buried get the picture Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Colony.

Further Reading: