These 21 Before And After Photos Of People Who Underwent Lobotomies Are Disturbing
In 1935 Portuguese doctor Egas Moniz, learned of an experiment where the removal of the frontal lobes of two chimpanzees resulted in reduced violent behavior, making them more compliant. The doctor decided to repeat this experiment with humans and shortly after performing this procedure on unsuspecting patients, he published a paper demonstrating a method he believed to be an innovative way to treat mentally ill people. Today, Moniz is remembered for discovering the lobotomy, one of the most shameful and tragic procedures in medicine.
From the year 1945 to 1947 there were around 2,000 lobotomies performed. However, the numbers skyrocketed to 18,000 after Moniz was awarded the Nobel Prize Medicine for his discovery in 1949. There were many factors as to why this surgery was deemed acceptable back in the day. Mainly due to the fact that there was no medication or therapy effective enough to treat people who suffered from various mental illness. However, the misinformation and active campaigning for the effectiveness of lobotomy had a big impact too.
A physician, Walter Freeman, helped popularize this procedure in the US. With no surgical training, Freeman decided to change the operation, and instead of drilling holes in the skull, he stabbed patients' brains with an icepick through the eye socket. Freeman perfected this method to the point where it only took him 12 minutes to perform it. He traveled around the country in a van called the Lobotomobile and had no problem performing it in non-sterile environments.
However, he and other doctors who performed this procedure often overlooked the gruesome side effects lobotomies caused, mainly focusing on the appearance of the patients and relieving the discomfort the illnesses had caused to their family members. This attitude is highlighted in the photographs Freeman took of his patients and used them as an argument in favor of lobotomies. Scroll below to see them.
#2
Honestly with these photos you can really tell that the doctors only cared about the patients appearances in the end... they didn't bother noting down the side effects or any behavior afterwards
#5
This breaks my heart. Imagine living in these times. When you just need support. 💔
#6
I want to upvote every picture but it is hard. It feels wrong to up vote - but I will because they deserve to be seen simply for the horror they endured.
#10
Well, aging has certainly changed. I would not guess her to be a year younger than 70.
#13
In 1940, struggling economy, job anxiety. Poke your eye with an ice pick. Tah Dah!
#18
In fact, she is probably no longer bothered by everything. Such a wonderful citizen!
#19
Oh look! She learned how to smile! No practice needed. Just a little poke here and there, it's really no big deal at all!
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What do you think ?
"... household pet ..." Over 50 % of the victims were women with no mental disorder but improper behaviour.
That's what you get if you let men wield sharp objects. Pretty sad.
@Maria: Report John Smith. His comment to you was out of line.
He has over 4000 down votes. He's a troll.
John Smith has a very boring life. Seriously, give him no attention.
I know, guys. My point is that we can get rid of these trolls if enough people report them.
If they take a chunk of brain away - what is left. They didnt know and didnt really care
Like not keeping house?
possibly... a lot of female prostitutes, alcoholics or simply eccentric/nonconformist women were sectioned, so you might as well say that
@Naima: Also goes for being committed to Mental asylums.
Documented cases,,Imagine all the vagrants they ''experimented'' on,,Men and women.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Let that be a lesson in caution for you, Maria.
What the fuck is wrong with you
Dude what the hell? What is your problem?
I just read about how Joe Kennedy, Sr. had this done to his daughter Rosemary. It was said that she was mentally slow; she wasn't as smart as her siblings. She may have had a learning disability. But the truth was she was willful and disobeyed her father. Rosemary liked a good time, Joe told her to knock it off, and she wouldn't. He was afraid she'd get "a bad reputation" that would tarnish the family's public image and future prospects. Joe went behind his wife Rose's back and had the procedure done to Rosemary. It succeeded in actually disabling her, though that wasn't the intention. She was put in an institution and hardly mentioned of again. Finally, Joe's sons could all run for public office as they grew older with no stain on the family name. Never mind Joe's bootlegging, cheating on Rose with numerous actresses, and stock market manipulation, and John's messing around with a spy while he was at college. All of THAT was fine, apparently. ::eyeroll::
Well seems that the Life took back pretty much from the patriarch Joe Sr....2 sons
Tragic family - who knows what John Junior would have achieved had he been a better pilot.
most of his family
They did what they had to back then - put them in an institution and forget about them Meanwhile - boys will be boys
She wasn't mentally slow. Rosemary was considered too spirited by Joe. She didn't toe the line as his other kids did. AND she showed an interest in boys Joe didn't consider suitable. He alone made the decision to have Rosemary turned into a vegetable. He told his wife Rose after the operation was performed. Rosemary was then shipped off to a Jefferson WI facility where she remained until her death a few years back. Joe Sr was a womanizing, egotistical pig! He rules his household with an iron fist and favored his boys over his daughters.
Maybe that is where the Kennedy curse comes from!
This comment has been deleted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy#Lobotomy whoa
That comment about "household pet" really bothers me... it's all sorts of wrong.
Obviously this procedure is going to turm many people into "zombies". It may have helped a very few. But was "hit and miss". Turning someone from violent and agressive into a compliant and harmless household pet isnt exactly a cure.
they'd be lucky if they had family to care for them. There were many who didn't.
"... household pet ..." Over 50 % of the victims were women with no mental disorder but improper behaviour.
That's what you get if you let men wield sharp objects. Pretty sad.
@Maria: Report John Smith. His comment to you was out of line.
He has over 4000 down votes. He's a troll.
John Smith has a very boring life. Seriously, give him no attention.
I know, guys. My point is that we can get rid of these trolls if enough people report them.
If they take a chunk of brain away - what is left. They didnt know and didnt really care
Like not keeping house?
possibly... a lot of female prostitutes, alcoholics or simply eccentric/nonconformist women were sectioned, so you might as well say that
@Naima: Also goes for being committed to Mental asylums.
Documented cases,,Imagine all the vagrants they ''experimented'' on,,Men and women.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Let that be a lesson in caution for you, Maria.
What the fuck is wrong with you
Dude what the hell? What is your problem?
I just read about how Joe Kennedy, Sr. had this done to his daughter Rosemary. It was said that she was mentally slow; she wasn't as smart as her siblings. She may have had a learning disability. But the truth was she was willful and disobeyed her father. Rosemary liked a good time, Joe told her to knock it off, and she wouldn't. He was afraid she'd get "a bad reputation" that would tarnish the family's public image and future prospects. Joe went behind his wife Rose's back and had the procedure done to Rosemary. It succeeded in actually disabling her, though that wasn't the intention. She was put in an institution and hardly mentioned of again. Finally, Joe's sons could all run for public office as they grew older with no stain on the family name. Never mind Joe's bootlegging, cheating on Rose with numerous actresses, and stock market manipulation, and John's messing around with a spy while he was at college. All of THAT was fine, apparently. ::eyeroll::
Well seems that the Life took back pretty much from the patriarch Joe Sr....2 sons
Tragic family - who knows what John Junior would have achieved had he been a better pilot.
most of his family
They did what they had to back then - put them in an institution and forget about them Meanwhile - boys will be boys
She wasn't mentally slow. Rosemary was considered too spirited by Joe. She didn't toe the line as his other kids did. AND she showed an interest in boys Joe didn't consider suitable. He alone made the decision to have Rosemary turned into a vegetable. He told his wife Rose after the operation was performed. Rosemary was then shipped off to a Jefferson WI facility where she remained until her death a few years back. Joe Sr was a womanizing, egotistical pig! He rules his household with an iron fist and favored his boys over his daughters.
Maybe that is where the Kennedy curse comes from!
This comment has been deleted.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy#Lobotomy whoa
That comment about "household pet" really bothers me... it's all sorts of wrong.
Obviously this procedure is going to turm many people into "zombies". It may have helped a very few. But was "hit and miss". Turning someone from violent and agressive into a compliant and harmless household pet isnt exactly a cure.
they'd be lucky if they had family to care for them. There were many who didn't.