Mary Todd Lincoln's Cell

[Susan Higginbotham]

My humble opinion - to me it wouldn't make sense to assume such photos were taken. I have never heard of a hospital or doctor's office where this happens nowadays although a snapshot is taken at no expenses within a second. Back then taking a photo was quite an endeavor, and expensive. And from all I read Dr. Patterson had to calculate and economically compete with other institutions. And why should he have taken photos of all his patients? (If he did someone sure would long have dug out.) Also I believe Robert would have objected.

Photos actually were quite cheap at the time, and the exposure time had been shortened to seconds. A professional photographer would have been required, though, and I doubt that Dr. Patterson would have summoned one each time a new patient arrived, especially given the private nature of the asylum.