English 102-04 The Rest Cure: Its Negative Impacts on Charlotte Perkins Gilman

In 1877, Silas Weir Mitchell became famous for his treatment of nervous disorders. His treatment was called the Rest Cure. His treatment was extensive and strict, and what we would think of today as being ridiculous. His treatment included that the patient has to stay in bed for six weeks to two months, were in some cases not allowed to turn themselves over without aid, were not allowed to read or write. He informed his patients to become as domestic as possible. One of the main ideas of his treatment was the doctor- patient relationship, where the male was the doctor and the female w…