What is lobotomy or leukotomy?

Lobotomy is a surgical intervention in psychiatry. In her process, the frontal lobe is broken with other areas of the brain. In another way, this operation is called leukotomy. This procedure rather greatly changes the personal qualities of a person. It used to be used to treat various psychiatric illnesses, for example schizophrenia and deep depression. Also, this operation could be used as a punitive measure against people who "interfered" with someone. After the invention of various drugs, leukotomy was no longer used in medicine for ethical reasons.

For the first time, what is lobotomy, it became known in 1890. Then, however, the name of this operation was not yet. The Swiss scientist Gottlieb Buckhart removed part of the frontal lobes in six patients. Two of them died, while the rest recorded a change in behavior and personal qualities.

Already in the twentieth century, the Portuguese scientist Egash Monish developed a prefrontal leukotomy. In the process of this operation, alcohol was introduced to destroy brain cells. A little later, an instrument called leukotome appeared. Doctors began to use it instead of alcohol, which harmed the human body. With the development of medicine, parts of the brain began to be destroyed with the help of electricity and electromagnetic waves. In 1949, the Portuguese doctor received the Nobel Prize for his work.

At the beginning of the second half of the 20th century in the United States, approximately 5,500 operations were conducted each year. Many doctors criticized it and considered it barbaric. By the mid-1950s, the number of operations had decreased noticeably. For ethical reasons, lobotomy was banned in the USSR in 1950 after lengthy discussion. This was achieved by the famous physician Vasily Gilyarovsky, who knew perfectly well what lobotomy was, and did not consider it a method of psychiatric treatment. In many countries, this procedure was banned, but in some states the operation could be carried out quietly until the 70s of the last century.

Lobotomy (photo below) was depicted in many fairly well-known films and books, whose authors wanted to emphasize the brutality of psychiatrists. After all, they knew perfectly well what lobotomy was, and realized its negative impact on the person. The majority of people who underwent surgery had a marked decrease in long-term memory. The person became emotionally inert, indifferent.

There are several methods of lobotomy. One of the most effective is the closed method, which is performed without opening the skull. Carrying out such an operation does not require special knowledge in the field of medicine. The patient can hold it even to himself. However, this is not the best option, because the operation will have to be done by touch.

Recently, interest in lobotomy has increased. Especially it concerns operation in house conditions. Of course, it can not be carried out legally, since at the present time the lobotomy (the value of which is overestimated by many) is officially prohibited by the state. In addition, it can be dangerous, like any other surgical intervention, conducted not by a specialist, but by an ordinary person. Today, there are many other, safer methods of dealing with mental disorders, in addition to such a cardinal. Therefore, it is better to contact a specialist who will choose the appropriate treatment, and also answer all questions regarding what is lobotomy and whether it is appropriate.