The Lobotomist

From the late 40s into the late 50s,  Lobotomy, or "Ice Pick Surgery" was the most promising form of treatment for certain mental illnesses.  No doctor was more famous than Walter Freeman, who performed hundreds of lobotomy's in West Virginia and around the country. West Virginia was the very first state to allow mass lobotomies at it's mental institutions. The procedure was so simple, that Dr Freeman often performed them with one hand while talking to reporters and colleagues. Many people were helped, while others werent.  Many if not most cases were mental institution lifers with no hope.  I've talked to many people in our area who swear by the procedure when applied to their mothers and other relatives, while others cursed the procedure.  There is much information on the Internet concerning this subject, and the best book on lobotomy is called "The Lobotomist" by Jack El-Hai.

Dr Walter Freeman on left










Tools of the trade

In the United States, approximately 40,000 people were lobotomized. Lobotomy fell out of favor in the 60s, but the procedure was still performed. Drugs had taken lobotomies place in many instances.   By the 1970s, numerous countries had banned the procedure as had several US states.

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