Synopses & Reviews
By exposing the sickening conditions people with mental illness endured in jails, almshouses, and basement cells, Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) single-handedly transformed the U.S. system of mental health care in the 19th century. Dix traveled from state to state, describing the hideous suffering people who were both poor and mentally ill endured at the hands of their captors. Her tireless research and personal lobbying of legislators led to construction of asylums for the mentally ill in state after state.
Review
"Although Muckenhoupt references several personal situations from Dix's life, the focus is clearly on her crusade to document atrocities in the care of the mentally ill, present the information to legislators, and lobby for change. In Dix's mind there were not two sides to this issue-she believed that God would enable her to do this most important work. The numerous black-and-white illustrations and primary sources enhance the clear text." -- School Library Journal
About the Author
Meg Muckenhoupt has written articles on travel in Boston and local environmental issues for
The Boston Globe,
the Boston Phoenix,
Boston Magazine and the
Time Out Boston guide. Her book
Sigmund Freud: Explorer of the Unconscious (Oxford University Press) won the American Academy of Sciences 1998 Best science Books for Junior High and High school readers, and has been translated into seven languages. She holds a certificate in Field Botany from the New England Wild Flower Society.