Despite its aims, the mental hygiene movement of the 19th century did not meet its goals. Describe the reasons for this movement, the instrumental figures responsible for this movement, and the reasons behind its lack of success.

Conditions for the mentally ill during the 1800s were horrendous. The mentally ill were left wandering from place to place and were rarely taken proper care of. In poorhouses, they were chained up and often taunted by visitors. Thus, reformers insisted on the establishment of mental asylums where proper care would be given to the mentally ill. Dorothea Dix (1802-1877), who became one of the leaders of the mental hygiene movement, visited a local prison, and, horrified by the conditions, became determined to make changes. She was also concerned with the suffering of mental patients, and began a nationwide campaign to improve life for these individuals. Thus, the goal of the mental hygiene movement was to protect and provide humane treatment for the mentally ill. However, the movement of people into large asylums did not make life better. There was a problem with overcrowding, and staff did not have the time to properly care for the considerable number of patients. Physicians replaced psychosocial treatments with physical treatments, which were often cruel rather than compassionate.