Doctor Edward Johnson, MD, graduated
from the Manitoba School of Medicine in 1928.
He joined the staff of SMHC as a psychiatrist in 1928 and completed post-
He was initially the Assistant Medical Superintendent and eventually appointed Superintendent of the Institution in 1943; a position he held until 1959 when he was
appointed Provincial Psychiatrist for Manitoba. In 1953 Doctor Johnson was awarded by the American Psychiatric Association a special merit for administration.
Under Dr Johnson’s guidance, the SMHC received the first ever award granted by the American Psychiatric Association for the advancement of care and treatment of patients in mental hospitals.
Dr Johnson was also the pioneer of the open ward policy. It is interesting to note that in 1939, Dr Johnson wrote a paper for the
Canadian Medical Journal highlighting the tremendous benefits for Insulin Shock Treatment for Schizophrenic patients. This paper can be read on the Archive web site under “articles & links. From 1958 to 1959 he served as President for the Manitoba Medical Association.
During his stay at Selkirk he was an active Rotarian, he bowled, took figure skating lessons and along with his wife Eleanor was a member of a square dance club.
Over the years, his droll sense of humour served him well. At the age of ninety-
After a long and distinguished career
Dr Johnson retired in 1967, worked in private practice in Winnipeg and died in October 1994 at age 92 years.
As a note of interest; Dr. Mary Anne
Johnson, the niece of Dr. Johnson, is
continuing in the family footsteps and works at SMHC as a psychologist.
