Nellie Bly

Ten Days in a Mad-House is a book written by newspaper reporter Nellie Bly and published by Norman L. Munro in New York, NY in 1887. The book comprised Bly's reportage for the New York World while on an undercover assignment in which she feigned insanity to investigate reports of brutality and neglect at the Women's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island. The book's graphic depiction of conditions at the asylum caused a sensation, brought Bly lasting fame and prompted a grand jury to launch its own investigation, with Bly assisting. The jury's report resulted in an $850,000 increase in the budget of the Department of Public Charities and Corrections.

Originally published in 1890 in book form, the text was based on Nellie Bly's newspaper articles for the New York World. In 1889, Bly went around the world as a journalism "stunt" to beat the fictional record of Jules Verne's Phileas Fogg -- and even made a stop in France to meet Verne. Since no cover image has shown up for this edition, shown is an 1890s advertising card with Nellie Bly belting up the world.

Con solo 23 años, la reportera Nellie Bly fingió locura para poder ser internada en el manicomio de la isla de Blackwell y poder exponer los abusos a los que eran sometidas las internas. El reportaje y los artículos publicados por Bly después de su encierro sacaron a la luz las vejaciones físicas y psicológicas que sufrían las pacientes de la institución mental. Muchas de las internas no padecían ningún trastorno sino que eran inmigrantes y mujeres sin recursos que carecían de apoyo social, pero el trato y las rutinas a las que eran sometidas diariamente eran suficientes para que las personas sanas perdieran la cordura.

Un voyage de six mois avec sa mère au Mexique en 1886 ; un internement volontaire dans un asile d'aliénés de New York un an plus tard ; en 1889, une traversée du monde en 72 jours pour défier Jules Verne ; et en septembre 1914, sur le front de la Première Guerre mondiale qui commence... Il n'en fallait pas plus pour que Nellie Bly devienne l'une des figures les plus étonnantes, audacieuses, pétillantes, féministes et libres d'un journalisme et d'une condition féminine en devenir.

Six Months in Mexico was written by Nellie Bly in 1888. It is an important work that shows what Mexico was like at the end of the 1800s, as well as Nellie Bly's perception and experience of Mexico, as a woman living there. Nellie Bly writes: "One Wintry Night I bade my few journalistic friends Adieu, And, accompanied by my mother, started on my way to Mexico."

In 1887, 23-year-old reporter Nellie Bly had herself committed to a New York City asylum for 10 days to expose the horrific conditions for 19th-century century mental patients.

ON the 22d of September I was asked by the World if I could have myself committed to one of the asylums for the insane in New York, with a view to writing a plain and unvarnished narrative of the treatment of the patients therein and the methods of management, etc. Did I think I had the courage to go through such an ordeal as the mission would demand? Could I assume the characteristics of insanity to such a degree that I could pass the doctors, live for a week among the insane without the authorities there finding out that I was only a "chiel amang 'em takin' notes?" 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.