A newly-formed group at he Harvard Medical School protesting the indiscriminate use of brain surgery to control behavior, met Tuesday night to organize a forum aimed at informing the public of the physical dangers and possible political implications of lobotomies.
The group, people against Psychosurgery (PAP), tentatively scheduled a forum for may 4. Participants will include Dr. Peter A. Breggin '58, professor at the Washington School of Psychology, a staunch opponent of all surgery that modifies behavior.
The three Medical School proponents of lobotomies include Drs. Henry t. Ballantine, Frank R. Ervin, and Vernon H. Mark. All three declined invitations to participate in a debate with Dr. Breggin at the form.
"Neurosurgeons don't know hat they do when they stick electrodes in and burn out the brain," John V. Walsh, doctorate student of physiology at the Med School and one of 40 PAP members at the meeting said. "Psychos surgery cripples people, and we are just beginning to see the potential for very alarming political implications," he added.
The operation, which cuts a narrow slit through the frontal lobes of the brain, is used to control "hyperactive" children and those who suffer from anxiety, tension, and overt aggressiveness. It can be performed only after the patient gives his consent, and produces a blunting effect on the individual's behavior.
Several neurosurgeons are presently studying the possibility of controlling radicals and social devisers through brain surgery, under the auspices of the President's Committee on Violence.
About 400-600 lobotomies are Performed yearly in the U.S. Walsh stated, mostly in private institutions. The operation is not subject to governmental restrictions, although Congressional hearings are in progress studying the possible outlawing of all lobotomies.
Read more in News
Yale, SirRecommended Articles
-
Why We Are What We AreF EW SCIENTISTS WOULD tackle the subject of this book "Why we are what we are, why we do what
-
Books Violence and the Brain170 pages, $6.95. JUDGING by present high levels of violent crime, this nation is sick. Conservative political candidates offer their
-
Dr. Horrax to LectureDr. Gilbert Horrax, Instructor in Surgery in the University, will lecture on "Brain Disorders from the Surgical Standpoint" tomorrow afternoon
-
Med Professors Say Many Surgeons Perform Some Unjustified OperationsSurgeons currently perform too much surgery in the United States, several Medical School professors said this week at a press
-
Laing Blasts 'Anti-Human' ConditionsR. D. Laing, noted British psychiatrist and youth culture guru, presented a multi-faceted attack on what he termed the "antihuman"
-
Medical Tourism Raises Ethical ConcernsWhile millions of tourists swarm to Brazil each year to experience the lush rainforests and bustling cities, an increasing number are visiting with a different agenda—to receive cosmetic surgery. Although traveling abroad to receive medical treatment dates back to ancient Greece, the recent influx of “medical tourism” has garnered public attention. In his latest book, “Patients with Passports: Medical Tourism, Law, and Ethics,” Harvard Law School Professor I. Glenn Cohen explores various forms of medical tourism and their associated legal and ethical issues.
