Question

Not only did the New York City municipal government appropriate more money to the care of the mentally ill on Blackwell’s Island, a grand jury was impaneled to investigate the abuses and poor treatments Bly uncovered at the asylum. Approximately one month after her articles ran in print, many of the most glaring problems she reported had improved: better living and sanitary conditions were instituted, more nourishing meals were provided, translators were hired for the foreign born who were not necessarily mentally ill but simply could not understand their keepers, and the most abusive nurses and physicians were fired and replaced. © NewsHour Productions LLC. All Rights Reserved. Question Use the excerpt from the “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill” article to answer the question. What evidence from the text supports that Bly's investigation had a positive impact on Bellevue's treatment of patients? (1 point) Responses

Answer 1

The evidence from the text that supports Bly's investigation had a positive impact on Bellevue's treatment of patients includes the mention of specific improvements that occurred shortly after her articles were published. These improvements include:

1. Better living and sanitary conditions were instituted.
2. More nourishing meals were provided.
3. Translators were hired for foreign-born patients who were not mentally ill but could not understand their keepers.
4. The most abusive nurses and physicians were fired and replaced.

These changes indicate that the investigation led to tangible reforms in the care and treatment of the mentally ill at the asylum.