Dorothea Dix, a pioneering reformer and advocate, played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of healthcare during the Civil War era and beyond.

During the Civil War, Dix was appointed Superintendent of Female Nurses for the Union Army, where she organized and oversaw nursing care for soldiers on the battlefield.

Despite her allegiance to the Union cause, Dix believed in the humanitarian principle of providing aid to all who were wounded or in need, regardless of their affiliation. She worked tirelessly to ensure that medical care was provided impartially and without discrimination to both Union and Confederate soldiers.

Dix advocated for the establishment of specialized hospitals for soldiers suffering from mental illness, recognizing the psychological toll of war on soldiers. She tirelessly campaigned for improved conditions for the mentally ill, leading to significant reforms in the treatment of psychiatric patients.