Of feigned disease, it may be remarked that in this country there is much less inducement to feign disease … Very few individually would consent to live on charity…
Dr. Woodward was born in Torrington, Connecticut, studied medicine under his father, a physician, and began practicing at the age of 21 in Weathersfield, Connecticut. In 1832, he was appointed the first superintendent of the Worcester (Mass.) State Insane Asylum, where he remained for 14 years until ill health forced him to retire.
Dr. Woodward was middle-aged by the time he entered the field of psychiatry. Serving as a visiting physician to the Connecticut State Prison, he trained medical apprentices and helped spark a crusade to raise funds for an asylum that led to the establishment of the Hartford Retreat for the Insane, where he served as a visiting physician.
At Worcester, Dr. Woodward introduced innovative treatment practices that influenced the treatment of the insane. He retired from Worcester in 1846 and moved to Northampton, where he died. Dr. Woodward was one of the original 13 founders of the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane and served as the first President (1844–48).