▁of ▁the ▁only ▁surv iv ors ▁who , ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁after ▁her ▁in car cer ation ▁at ▁the ▁Andrew ▁Mer cer ▁Re format ory ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁received ▁compens ation ▁from ▁the ▁Ontario ▁government . ▁She ▁was ▁ 8 1 ▁by ▁then . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁she ▁wrote ▁a ▁book ▁about ▁the ▁events ▁titled ▁In cor rig ible , ▁which ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Life ▁Writing ▁Series ▁from ▁Wil fr id ▁Laur ier ▁University ▁Press . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁she ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁J . S . ▁Wood sw orth ▁Prize ▁for ▁anti - rac ism ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁of ▁Canada . ▁ ▁Cl os ure ▁ ▁Despite ▁its ▁prom ising ▁beg inn ings , ▁the ▁Andrew ▁Mer cer ▁Re format ory ▁for ▁Women ▁would ▁become ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁controvers y ▁with ▁alleg ations ▁of ▁tort ure , ▁beat ings , ▁experimental ▁dru gs , ▁and ▁medical ▁procedures , ▁all ▁in ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁reform . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁a ▁grand ▁j ury ▁was ▁conven ed ▁to ▁investigate , ▁and ▁was ▁brought ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁by ▁The ▁Toronto ▁Daily ▁Star ' s ▁front - page ▁head line ▁" Secret ▁visit ▁to ▁Toronto ▁d unge ons : ▁Girls ' ▁J ail ▁Sho cks ▁Grand ▁J ury ". ▁The ▁grand ▁j ury ' s ▁conclus ions ▁included ▁finding ▁medical ▁care ▁so ▁bad ▁that ▁" we ▁could ▁find ▁no ▁one ▁with ▁anything ▁good ▁to ▁say ▁about