"Nelly Bly Undercover"

Question

by Dr. Howard Markel

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

Bly began questioning and imitating the women who seemed most insane to her.
Bly began questioning and imitating the women who seemed most insane to her.

In 1889, Bly made a famous, widely reported 72-day trip around the globe that broke a fictional record.
In 1889, Bly made a famous, widely reported 72-day trip around the globe that broke a fictional record.

Bly was successful in negotiating the city rooms of the New York City world, and got a plum reporting assignment.
Bly was successful in negotiating the city rooms of the New York City world, and got a plum reporting assignment.

The New York City municipal government appropriated more money to take care of the mentally ill on Blackwell’s Island.
The New York City municipal government appropriated more money to take care of the mentally ill on Blackwell’s Island.

Answer 1

The evidence from the text that supports Bly's investigation had a positive impact on Bellevue's treatment of patients is: "The New York City municipal government appropriated more money to take care of the mentally ill on Blackwell’s Island." This indicates that her findings led to increased funding and attention to the care of mentally ill patients.