Lobotomy Nation: The History of Psychosurgery and Psychiatry in Denmark

Publikation: Bog/antologi/afhandling/rapportBogfagfællebedømt

This book tells the story of one of medicine’s most (in)famous treatments: the neurosurgical operation commonly known as lobotomy. Invented by Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz in 1935, lobotomy or psychosurgery became widely used in a number of countries, including Denmark, where the treatment had a major breakthrough. In fact, evidence suggests that more lobotomies were performed in Denmark than any other country. However, the reason behind this unofficial world record has not yet been fully understood. Lobotomy Nation traces the history of psychosurgery and its ties to other psychiatric treatments such as malaria fever therapy, Cardiazol shock and insulin coma therapy, but it also situates lobotomy within a broader context. The book argues that the rise and fall of lobotomy is not just a story about psychiatry, it is also about society, culture and interventions towards vulnerable groups in the 20th century.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
UdgivelsesstedLondon
ForlagPalgrave Macmillan
Antal sider456
ISBN (Trykt)9783030653057
ISBN (Elektronisk)9783030653064
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2021
NavnMental Health in Historical Perspective

ID: 282093209