21 Disturbing Pictures of Lobotomy Before and After

Lobotomy before and after images showing a man in 1942 and 1946, highlighting changes post-procedure.

Final score:

38points

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Living_Shadow 7 years ago

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

29points

Before and after lobotomy: two portraits of a woman.

Final score:

38points

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Caroline Huot 7 years ago

they 'make nice household pets' OMG!!! This is SO sad. :(

145points

Before and after lobotomy images showing a woman's transformation over time.

Final score:

36points

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Rowlie 7 years ago

All of the faces on the right are so devoid of thoughts, feelings, personalities. Something between zombies and Stepford wives.

20points

Uncovering A Dark Chapter In Mental Health Care

Before and after lobotomy images: patient with schizophrenia showing emotional change post-surgery.

Final score:

32points

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Notsoboredpanda 7 years ago

This breaks my heart. Imagine living in these times. When you just need support. 💔

19points

Three women showing lobotomy effects: one before, one bandaged after surgery, and one post-recovery.

Final score:

30points

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Kelly Horrigan 7 years ago

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.

75points

Before and after images of a woman who underwent a lobotomy, showing her facial expressions and hairstyle changes.

Final score:

27points

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BusLady 7 years ago

Went from a woman to a little girl.

24points

Before and after images of lobotomy, showing a man with glasses on the left and a shaved head with a cigar on the right.

Final score:

27points

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Kelly Horrigan 7 years ago

Cured his eyesight? And then started to smoke

62points

Before and after lobotomy photos showing changes in a woman's appearance and demeanor.

Final score:

24points

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Kelly Horrigan 7 years ago

Cure for bad house keeping.

32points

#10

Patient before and after lobotomy treatment, showing significant changes in appearance and demeanor.

Final score:

24points

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Vilkas 7 years ago

Man, those must've been 49 rough years.

8points

#11

Lobotomy: When Science Went Too Far

Before and after images of a lobotomy patient showing facial expression changes post-surgery.

Final score:

21points

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tarebear 7 years ago

"Subject yo compulsive seizures but made no complaint" so since she didn't complain it was totally fine that she randomly seized

90points

#12

Before and after images of a woman showing the effects of a lobotomy procedure over a five-year period.

Final score:

19points

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Robert O 7 years ago

The photo on the right reminds me of someone... movie star? Author? ... can't recall who.. now just bugging me

7points

#13

Lobotomy before and after images of a man, displaying changes in expression and demeanor.

Final score:

19points

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Kelly Horrigan 7 years ago

In 1940, struggling economy, job anxiety. Poke your eye with an ice pick. Tah Dah!

36points

#14

Before and after lobotomy photos showing changes in a woman's demeanor and expression.

Final score:

15points

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Rowlie 7 years ago (edited)

Wow, so efficient! Even her teeth grew back

32points

#15

Before and after images showing effects of lobotomy procedure on a man's facial expression.

Final score:

14points

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Nia Loves Art 7 years ago

His face shape completely changed …

24points

#16

A Haunting Glimpse Into Medical History

Before and after lobotomy comparison of a patient lying in a hospital bed.

Final score:

14points

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Enuya 7 years ago

Lobotomy, electroshocks and tying to bed. It's so hard to believe that we were so barbaric less than one hundred years ago. I know that even today the treatment of mental illness is far from perfect. Still, I am so grateful that I live today, not few decades ago.

54points

#17

Person lying on a bed after lobotomy, exhibiting behavioral changes, ten days post-operation.

Final score:

13points

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Kelly Horrigan 7 years ago

and he began to melt

27points

#18

Before and after lobotomy comparison of a woman's expression changes.

Final score:

12points

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Jen Powell 7 years ago

How do they even do a second lobotomy? You only have two halves to your brain. :(

9points

#19

Two images showing a patient's face before and after lobotomy, illustrating the procedure's effects.

Final score:

12points

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Andrea Bernier Hall 7 years ago

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!

9points

#20

Before and after lobotomy comparison showing weight change and facial expressions.

Final score:

11points

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Clovis Lowell 7 years ago

We now know how to fix underweight people. A hammer and an ice pick.

5points

#21

Before and after images of a woman showing facial expression changes following a prefrontal lobotomy.

Final score:

10points

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hashwadoobies 7 years ago

so much pain in her eyes in the before picture.

20points

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Meet Franka, a night-owl Panda! After graduating in Economics, she realized the only numbers she wanted to deal with were rankings on Google. She's been an analytical Copywriter ever since. In her free time, she is probably meditating, drafting a new chapter in her third fiction novel, or watching stand-up comedies.

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What do you think ?

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Maria Rohlen 7 years ago

"... household pet ..." Over 50 % of the victims were women with no mental disorder but improper behaviour.

88points

BusLady 7 years ago

@Maria: Report John Smith. His comment to you was out of line.

15points

diane a 7 years ago

If they take a chunk of brain away - what is left. They didnt know and didnt really care

7points

BusLady 7 years ago

Like not keeping house?

4points

Spooko Akira 2 years ago

Not to mention I have no idea where you're pulling these statistics from but they are entirely false.

1point

Spooko Akira 2 years ago

and a large majority were also gay men,,,

1point

Robert Hislop 7 years ago

Documented cases,,Imagine all the vagrants they ''experimented'' on,,Men and women.

1point

April Simnel 7 years ago

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::

68points

Stefano Aprea 7 years ago

Well seems that the Life took back pretty much from the patriarch Joe Sr....2 sons

7points

diane a 7 years ago (edited)

They did what they had to back then - put them in an institution and forget about them Meanwhile - boys will be boys

4points

Ella Miles 5 years ago

Rosemary was rumored to be bipolar and she would get extremely giggly in public which was looked down apon. I read an article that said that JFK sent Jackie Kennedy (his wife before he was assassinated) to a psychiatric hospital where she underwent three round of electroshock therapy, all because she found out he was cheating and she threatened to tell the press. Sadly, that's how things were handled in the 50s

3points

Donna Glaser 7 years ago

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.

3points

Mary Anderson 4 years ago

Very bad to speak ill of the dead, poor taste

1point

Nikki D 7 years ago

Maybe that is where the Kennedy curse comes from!

1point

Diane R 2 years ago

there was a LOT more "messing around" than that, and it all got passed down from their dad; those 3 politician brothers treated women like sex objects, and never were held accountable!

0points

Matt Richardson 7 years ago

That comment about "household pet" really bothers me... it's all sorts of wrong.

52points

diane a 7 years ago

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.

31points

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Maria Rohlen 7 years ago

"... household pet ..." Over 50 % of the victims were women with no mental disorder but improper behaviour.

88points

BusLady 7 years ago

@Maria: Report John Smith. His comment to you was out of line.

15points

diane a 7 years ago

If they take a chunk of brain away - what is left. They didnt know and didnt really care

7points

BusLady 7 years ago

Like not keeping house?

4points

Spooko Akira 2 years ago

Not to mention I have no idea where you're pulling these statistics from but they are entirely false.

1point

Spooko Akira 2 years ago

and a large majority were also gay men,,,

1point

Robert Hislop 7 years ago

Documented cases,,Imagine all the vagrants they ''experimented'' on,,Men and women.

1point

April Simnel 7 years ago

68points

Stefano Aprea 7 years ago

Well seems that the Life took back pretty much from the patriarch Joe Sr....2 sons

7points