Lobotomy: Frontal Lobe and Community Endorses Lobotomies

A Lobotomy is an operation that was first completed on humans in 1935 by Dr. Moniz, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his lobotomy practices in 1949. The doctor drilled holes into the brain and he destroyed the nerves that connected the frontal lobes to the main body of the human brain. The doctor warned that lobotomies should only be used in rare, unusual cases when other methods and treatments had failed. In 1936, Walter Freeman and James Watts performed their first lobotomy on a patient showing symptoms of fearfulness and an agitated personality. The patient’s schizophrenic symptoms seemed to be somewhat appeased; however, she developed apathy, indifference, and dispassion. Walter Freeman developed the "ice-pick lobotomy." He would sedate the patient with electric shocks and insert the pick above the eye, through the plate and into the brain. Dr. Freeman used this method for all sorts of mental and behavioral disorders – schizophrenia, major depression, sexual deviance, and criminal behavior.
Due to the fact that the lobotomy did improve some of the symptoms of mental disorders, between 1939 and 1951, an average of 4 lobotomies a day were performed within the U.S. Lobotomies were performed and gained acceptance during this time, because it supposedly help “cure” (reduce the abnormal behaviors) the patient and in turn the patient was no longer a blight to society. The patients became more calm and sedated, but the underlying disorder may still be prevalent within the individual.
I do believe that this procedure is practiced today. I do not believe the scientific community endorses lobotomies, but I think some doctors will perform this operation. I am opposed to receiving a lobotomy and I believe no family member has any authority to advocate for the patient in such cases. I think that all methods of treatment must be utilized before such a procedure, including long-term hospitalization, if needed. With the scientific advances in the last few