T is for Thorsen
January 15th, 2025
In 1948, Joseph O’Dwyer’s interrupted suicide attempt led to his institutionalization at Colquitz Hospital, Canada’s first forensic psychiatric facility. Struggling with grief over the wartime deaths of his siblings, O’Dwyer’s parents fought for his release, only to face heartbreaking setbacks. His brief return home took an unexpected turn, and he was sent back to endure procedures deemed unconscionable even then. Researcher Katarina Thorsen pieces together 15 years of O’Dwyer’s life using patient records and historical documents in her book Salt Green Death (Conundrum Press $30.00), uncovering the events that shaped his tragic story. Illustrated in coloured pencil and graphite, this work captures a haunting chapter of psychiatric history. 9781772621068
Photo: Rita Taylor, Banff Centre, 2023.
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