Dorothea Dix was born in Clermont County, Virginia, on June 6, 1802. After receiving her education at home, she taught school for several years. She opened a school for girls in her home in 1840 and became known for her compassionate treatment of the mentally ill. During this time she became interested in the plight of the insane who were being mistreated in state institutions
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She began her work with the mentally ill by visiting them in their cells or living quarters and communicating with them through notes or drawings which she would have them draw on paper. This "talking to the patients" was a legal concern because there was no law protecting the insane from abuse by others including family members.
Dix advocated for legislation to protect lives of innocent people who were deemed by the state as mentally unfit.
Dix also advocated for improved government funding through taxes to care for those who are mentally ill, noting that while some people are mentally ill, there are still others who are not, but are imprisoned because they lack money to pay fines.
She lobbied against laws that allowed private citizens to take up arms against the insane and also lobbied against laws that allowed private citizens to take up arms against other private citizens if they thought or believed they were insane.
Dix stated that when an insane person is needed for forced labor, society has an obligation to care for them so that their lives will not be forfeited because of society's negligence.
Dix died on April 22, 1887 in Richmond Virginia at the age of eighty-four years old.