Major Leaders in Asylum/Prison Reform and their Accomplishments

- Dorothea Dix
- Dorothea Dix taught Sunday school in prison and was shocked to see the extremely poor treatment of prisoners and the insane.
- Dix helped create asylums that would help treat them instead of punishing them.
- Dix persuaded legislature in Massachusetts to reform, which was an incredible feat because she was a woman.
- Dr. John Galt
- Worked at Eastern Lunatic Asylum, in Williamsburg, Virginia, which was the first publicly supported Psychiatric Hospital in America.
- Dr. Galt had many revolutionary ideas about treating the insane, based on his conviction that they had dignity. Among his enlightened approaches were the use of drugs, talk therapy, and short therapy sessions instead of lifelong stays.