Lobotomy, also known as leucotomy, is a neurosurgical procedure that involves removing or damaging specific areas of the brain.

It was first introduced as a treatment for mental illness in the 1930s, and became widely used throughout the following decades. The procedure was controversial, with some seeing it as a miracle cure, while others saw it as brutal and inhumane.

In this article, we’ll examine the history of lobotomy and try to answer the question of who was the first doctor to perform the procedure.

Origins of Lobotomy

The origins of lobotomy can be traced back to the discovery of the frontal lobes of the brain in the late 19th century.

Physicians began to notice that patients with damage to these areas of the brain often showed improvements in their mental illnesses, such as reduced agitation and better mood. Based on this observation, some doctors began to experiment with removing or damaging the frontal lobes in patients with severe mental illness.

One doctor who was particularly interested in this approach was Egas Moniz, a Portuguese neurologist who began experimenting with frontal lobotomy in the 1920s.

Moniz believed that this procedure could help patients with severe mental illness who were not responding to other treatments, such as medications and talk therapy.

The First Lobotomy Procedure

The first lobotomy procedure was performed by Moniz and his colleague, Almeida Lima, in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 12, 1935.

The patient was a 63-year-old woman who had severe anxiety and depression that had not been successfully treated with other methods. Moniz and Lima used a tool called a leucotome to cut into the patient’s brain and remove small pieces of tissue from the frontal lobes.

The procedure was considered a success, with the patient showing significant improvement in her mental state. Moniz and Lima continued to perform lobotomies on other patients, with varying degrees of success.

They reported their findings in medical journals, and soon other doctors around the world began to take notice of this radical new treatment.

Lobotomy in the United States

One of the doctors who was particularly interested in lobotomy was Walter Freeman, an American neurologist. Freeman began performing lobotomies in the United States in the late 1930s, after traveling to Portugal to study with Moniz.

Freeman developed his own technique for performing the procedure, which involved inserting a leucotome through the eye socket and into the brain. He called this the transorbital lobotomy, and it soon became his preferred method of performing the procedure.

Freeman believed that lobotomy was a revolutionary new treatment that could help thousands of patients who were suffering from mental illness.

He traveled around the country, performing lobotomies in hospitals and mental institutions and training other doctors in his technique. He and his colleague James Watts also developed the Freeman-Watts procedure, which involved using a modified leucotome to cut through the skull and into the brain.

Controversy Surrounding Lobotomy

Despite the initial excitement surrounding lobotomy, the procedure soon became controversial. Critics argued that it was invasive and risky, and that patients were often left with permanent damage to their brains.

Some patients experienced serious side effects, such as seizures, loss of motor function, and personality changes. Critics also argued that the procedure was being overused, and that it was being performed on patients who did not actually need it.

As the controversy over lobotomy grew, some doctors began to question its effectiveness as a treatment for mental illness.

They argued that the patients who showed improvement after lobotomy may have simply been experiencing a placebo effect, or that their improvement was due to other factors, such as changes in their environment or relationships.

End of an Era

Despite the controversies and criticisms, lobotomy remained a popular treatment for mental illness throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that the procedure began to fall out of favor, as new treatments such as medications and talk therapy were developed.

Today, lobotomy is a largely discredited procedure, and it is no longer performed in most countries.

Although it played an important role in the history of mental health treatment, lobotomy is now seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of experimenting with unproven medical treatments.

Conclusion

Lobotomy was a radical and controversial treatment for mental illness that was once hailed as a miracle cure.

Although it was originally developed by Egas Moniz and Almeida Lima in Portugal, it was Walter Freeman who brought the procedure to the United States and made it famous. Despite the early promise of lobotomy, it soon became clear that the procedure was invasive, risky, and often ineffective.

Today, lobotomy is no longer performed, and its place in medical history serves as a reminder of the dangers of unproven medical treatments.