Last night, a student mentioned that a previous psychology teacher
("Professor Bob") had told his class that, during the 1940s, people
without any mental disorder sometimes had lobotomies done as a sort of
preventive measure--or perhaps to improve their mental functioning, I
wasn't sure from her description. I have read some on the history of
biological treatments (such as Elliot Valenstein's book, "Great and
Desperate Cures..."), but I don't recall ever coming across this claim
before. It sounds somewhat outrageous to me, but given that some people
are performing trepanations nowadays in order to expand their
consciousness, you just never can tell what people might do to
themselves in the name of "personal development."
I know that we have some marvelous historians on this list, either by
vocation or avocation. Does anyone know whether or not preventive
lobotomies were ever performed?
Jeff
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D. Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd. FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
"Science must begin with myths and with the criticism of myths"
Karl Popper
Listowner: Psychologists Educating Students to Think Skeptically (PESTS)
http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/pests/index.html
