| From History of Dane County, Wisconsin, publ. by Western
Historical Company, Chicago, 1880, page 957 D. F. BOUGHTON, M.D., superintendent of the Wisconsin State Hospital for the Insane, was born in Oakland Co., Mich. in 1843; fitted for college at Ypsilanti, Mich., and entered Michigan University in 1866; was two years in the literary course; he then changed in 1868, to the medical course and graduated in the Class of 1870; he located the same season at Owosso, Mich., where for two years he practiced his profession. In April 1872, he was elected Second Assistant Physician at Wisconsin State Hospital for the insane, and, on the death of Superintendent McDILL, he was promoted, in February 1876, to the superintendency. He was married in October 1875, to Miss Hellen C. McDILL, of Plover, Wis.; they have two children. In conducting this Hospital for the Insane, the officials aim to render pleasant home-life predominant; as little force or restraint is used as is possible and still maintain the discipline of the institution; the administration is non-political and non-sectarian; religious services are held every Sabbath, and Pastors of all denominations, Catholic and Protestant, are invited to address the patients; questions of nativity, politics or religion, are never asked concerning officials or employees, and do not influence appointments; on this day (July 17, 1880), there are 566 patients enrolled; many of the insane voluntarily partake in the varied labors of the farm and Hospital; in suitable weather, during the summer, patients are expected to spend six to eight hours daily out of doors, and in winter, all who are able, to walk one and a half miles each half-day; a vegetable and dairy farm supplies the needs of this peculiar village of nearly 700 persons; the furniture and tinware used in the Hospital are manufactured in their own shops; much of the machinery used is also a home product, and all repairing of machinery is done by their own workmen; the convenience and economy of this arrangement are obvious; wise and progressive management is apparent, together with kind and intelligent care of the afflicted. Superintendent BOUGHTON's duties are complex and multidinous, and would afford full scope for all the powers of a myriad-minded man. Transcribed and contributed to this site by Carol |
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