The last ice pick lobotomy was performed by Dr. Walter Freeman in February 1967. It was on a housewife named Helen Mortenson, and sadly, it resulted in her death due to a brain hemorrhage. This tragic event marked the end of Freeman’s career and the decline of the procedure as a whole.
I remember reading about Freeman and his controversial lobotomy technique during my studies. It was a time when mental illness was not well understood, and desperate measures were taken to treat patients. Freeman’s method involved inserting an ice pick-like instrument through the eye socket and into the brain, where it would be moved back and forth to sever neural connections.
The fact that Freeman had performed over 2,500 of these procedures before Mortenson’s death is both astonishing and disturbing. It is difficult to comprehend the immense suffering and potential harm caused to so many individuals. The ethical implications of his work are still debated today.
It is important to note that the practice of lobotomy had already been falling out of favor by the time of Mortenson’s procedure. As the field of psychiatry advanced and more effective treatments were developed, the use of lobotomies declined. The introduction of antipsychotic medications and various forms of therapy provided more humane and targeted approaches to mental health treatment.
Reflecting on the story of Helen Mortenson and the end of Freeman’s career, it is a reminder of the progress we have made in understanding and treating mental illness. While there is still much work to be done, we have moved away from such drastic and irreversible procedures.
The last ice pick lobotomy was performed by Dr. Walter Freeman in February 1967 on Helen Mortenson, who tragically died due to a brain hemorrhage. This event marked the end of Freeman’s career and signaled the decline of lobotomy as a treatment for mental illness. It serves as a stark reminder of the ethical considerations and advancements we have made in the field of psychiatry.