Patrick Livingston Murphy to Georgiana Bowditch, 8 October 1888

[From Patrick Livingston Murphy at the Western North Carolina Insane Asylum in Morganton, North Carolina, to Georgiana Bowditch. He says Georgiana's mother is well enough to be discharged, and he trusts she won't need asylum treatment in the future.

The letter is on pre-printed stationery, with the first three lines below printed in the upper left.]

Western North Carolina Insane Asylum
Superintendent's Office
P. L. Murphy,1 M. D., Superintendent

Morganton, N. C., Oct 8, 1888

Miss G. A. Bowditch

Dear Madam,

Your very kind letter was received & I am sure no one can rejoice more than I do that your mother2 keeps so well. I think it is well enough to have her discharged. I sincerely trust that there will never again be any necessity for asylum treatment in her case, but should there be I am sure you will have no difficulty in obtaining admission here.

Mrs. Murphy3 & Mrs. Mona [?] both join me in many kind remembrances &c to you both.

You can hardly imagine the pleasure it gives me to know my work here is appreciated. It is a hard wearying life full of great responsibilities.

Most truly yrs.,

P. L. Murphy

  1. Patrick Livingston Murphy (1848-1907), Superintendent of the Western North Carolina Insane Asylum (later called State Hospital of Morganton and then Broughton State Hospital) from 1882 until his death in 1907. See Murphy, Patrick Livingston and Broughton Hospital.
  2. Elizabeth Blanchard Abbot (1821-1902), Georgiana's mother
  3. Elizabeth Waddell Bumgardner (1854-1933)