Episode 138: Ten Days in a Mad-House: Nellie Bly

In 1887, a young journalist named Nellie Bly took on a daring assignment that would change the course of investigative journalism. She proposed to feign mental illness and get admitted to New York’s Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum to expose the harsh realities faced by patients—especially women—behind its walls.

Bly prepared meticulously, practicing “crazy” expressions in front of a mirror and adopting the alias Nellie Brown. After checking into a working women’s boarding house and acting erratically, the police were called. She was sent to Bellevue Hospital, where doctors quickly declared her insane and transferred her to Blackwell’s Island.

During her ten days inside the asylum, Bly witnessed appalling conditions: women beaten and neglected, forced to endure freezing baths in filthy water, given meager and spoiled food, and made to sit for hours on hard benches in freezing cold. Many of the patients were not mentally ill but had been committed due to poverty, language barriers, or family decisions. Despite dropping her act upon arrival, Bly’s normal behavior was misinterpreted as further evidence of insanity by staff.

Upon her release, Bly’s vivid, first-person exposé published in The World caused an immediate sensation. The public was horrified by her descriptions of cruelty and neglect. The story ignited a grand jury investigation, and though the asylum attempted to clean up its act before the jury’s visit, Bly’s revelations could not be dismissed. As a result, New York City allocated an additional $1 million to reform the asylum, firing abusive staff, hiring competent physicians, and improving conditions.

Bly’s courageous reporting didn’t just shine a light on a failing institution—it revolutionized journalism itself. She proved that women could succeed in demanding investigative roles and sparked a new era of exposés that aimed to hold power accountable and improve social conditions.

While Bly went on to undertake other famous projects—like traveling around the world in record time—it is her Ten Days in a Mad-House that remains a powerful testament to the impact of fearless storytelling and social justice. Her legacy endures in the ongoing work of journalists who use their voices to champion the unheard and demand change.