Was she mentally ill or was she suffering from hormonal imbalances not unlike post-menstrual syndrome? The fact that she was bleeding 3 times a month and had erratic behavior certainly alludes to something other that mental illness. When the American doctor came to the institution to see her, he said that her condition could have been controlled with medication. I realize that the times did not allow her illness to be analyzed or researched -- women were really of no interest other than being an extension of their husbands. However, I think that knowing what we do now -- and because as she got older her outbreaks lessened -- it seems that this was not a case of a "crazy" person's rantings. She was merely a woman who was indeed outspoken and had a mind of her own and also suffered from depression brought on by PMS.
