Dr. Wise was born at Clarence in Western New York, educated at local schools, and in 1869 studied medicine under a local physician. He attended courses at the medical schools in Albany and Buffalo, and he graduated from Buffalo in 1872. He served at the St. Louis City Hospital for a year, and then practiced medicine near Buffalo for a short time. In 1873, he was appointed Assistant Physician at Willard (N.Y.) State Asylum, and in 1884, he became the Superintendent.
In 1886, he was appointed to a state commission to locate a new hospital in northern New York, which selected Ogdensburg for the site. Dr. Wise prepared the plans for the new asylum and, in 1890, became Superintendent, remaining in that position until 1896, when he was made President of the State Commission on Lunacy. In 1900, he was removed from office because of alleged improprieties. He denied the charges but had no opportunity to defend himself. He engaged in several private enterprises in New York thereafter.
Dr. Wise contributed many papers to the American Journal of Insanity, the Alienist and Neurologist, and other medical journals. He published a two volume textbook for training schools for nurses. Dr. Wise was President of the American Medico-Psychological Association (1900–1901).