The matron of the house enlisted a few cops to escort Bly to the Essex Market Police Courtroom, where an impatient judge named Duffy pronounced her insane and ordered her to the famed insane ward at Bellevue Hospital, the city's largest charitable hospital. A few days later, she boarded a ferry boat filled stem to stern with unwashed and uncomprehending women for Blackwell's Island, "an insane place," one ambulance driver told her, "where you'll never get out of."

Question

Question
Use the excerpt from the “How Nellie Bly went undercover to expose abuse of the mentally ill” article to answer the question.

Which of the following would be a valid inference about what was known about Bellevue's reputation?

Bellevue's mistreatment of patients was known at the time.

Public opinions of Bellevue's insane ward were neutral.

Bellevue was known for it's excellent care of patients.

Bellevue released patients when they were rehabilitated.

Answer 1

The valid inference about what was known about Bellevue's reputation is:

Bellevue's mistreatment of patients was known at the time.

This inference is supported by the context of the excerpt, which highlights an "insane place" reputation and the ominous tone of the ambulance driver's remark about never getting out.