The Woman They Could Not Silence

 In October there always seems to be an uptick in reading horror stories.  Well, The Woman They Could Not Silence (#1,013) by Kate Moore certainly qualifies!  What makes it absolutely horrifying is that Ms. Moore has given us the factual story of Elizabeth Packard, an Illinois woman who in the 1860s was committed to the Illinois State Hospital for the Insane.  She was committed, perfectly legally, by her husband.  It wasn't an uncommon story at the time.

Elizabeth was educated, a skilled homemaker and the devoted mother of six children.  Theophilus Packard, a preacher, was her father's choice as her husband.  He would allow no difference of opinion or beliefs from his own, so when Elizabeth attended Bible classes and began to express her own thoughts about religion, he was appalled.  Since, as a preacher, he was a man of influence in their town, he began to lay the groundwork for Elizabeth's imprisonment in an insane asylum as a crazy person.  The law in Illinois, and most other states, was on his side.  He found an ally in the Hospital's Superintendent, Andrew McFarland.  And therein lies the tale.

Once committed, it was next to impossible to leave.  In Elizabeth's own words "What is the testimony of an insane person worth?  Nothing."  Yet fight against the forces arrayed against her she did.  Physical and mental torture made her even more determined to win free, if not for her own sake, then for the many other women who were kept there against their wills, though perfectly sane.

How she accomplished this miracle and left a lasting legacy in her wake which is only recently becoming recognized again as it was in her own time is the subject of this book.  If any one you know has ever been treated for a mental illness, they owe a debt of gratitude to Elizabeth Packard for her legislative initiatives.  Much still remains to be accomplished as the self-same tactics of Theophilus Packard and Andrew McFarland in dismissing the concerns and complaints of women are prominently on display today.  Think of it the next time you hear a woman called "Crazy!" by her male accuser.  How infuriating that this is still an effective tool.