Sexual repression and misogyny
Sexual repression and misogyny are two major themes in City of Incurable Women. It's a powerful collection of stories that bravely confront the Salpêtrière's history and the treatment of women in nineteenth-century Paris. Women were not considered fully human, and the treatment they received was harsh. The women in the facility are subjected to a variety of treatments, ranging from hypnosis to ovary compressors. They are treated like circus freaks and are scrutinized by male doctors and a public audience. It’s a reminder that women are still in the long shadow of the patriarchy, and that even today, women’s bodies are too often treated as objects. As Augustine, Genevieve, and Blanche demonstrate, it’s possible to escape the confines of repression, but it’s a long and difficult journey.
Questionable medical treatments
Casey touches on some of the more complex aspects of the Salpêtrière in City of Incurable Women, but her main focus is on the dubious medical treatments. She uses the stories of Salpêtrière's patients to illustrate the various treatments they endured, including hypnosis and ovary compressing, as well as the use of morphine and belladonna. This is a timely reminder of the risks of medical experimentation and the unethical treatment of vulnerable people. Casey's book humanizes the Salpêtrière victims and the dubious medical treatments they received and ultimately serves as a cautionary tale of what can happen when medical power is abused.
The power of narrative and self-expression
Casey has crafted a powerful collection of stories that speak to the struggles of marginalized women who were able to find their voices and tell their stories in the face of oppression. Casey demonstrates the power of narrative in creating an emotional connection between the reader and the characters, as well as the power of self-expression in allowing those characters to present their own stories in their own words, through her characters. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of allowing oppressed people to tell their own stories, as well as the power of narrative to foster empathy and understanding.
The use and misuse of hypnotism
In the early nineteenth century, the practice was thought to be a miracle cure for a variety of mental and physical ailments. However, there was considerable debate surrounding the practice. Some claimed that it was a dangerous form of mind control and that the patient lost control of their actions. Others claimed it was a harmless form of entertainment, similar to a magic show. Hypnotism was used by Charcot and his colleagues at the Salpêtrière in their treatments and performances. They would hypnotize their patients and then have them perform a variety of physical and mental feats to demonstrate the power of hypnosis. However, what they were doing was taking advantage of their patients. They were using them for entertainment and, in some cases, for sexual gratification. Finally, Salpêtrière's use and misuse of hypnosis had a profound and long-lasting impact on the lives of the women who were subjected to it.
