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Case File: 5 Lobotomy Horror Cases
Medicine has always sought ways to alleviate suffering.
And sometimes, in that search, it silenced people instead.
Welcome to The Cadaver’s Lessons. In this episode, we confront one of the darkest chapters in psychiatric care: the rise of the lobotomy and the man who helped turn it into a medical sensation—Dr. Walter Freeman.
Once hailed as a miracle cure for mental illness, the lobotomy was promoted as a simple solution to complex human suffering. We trace how Freeman’s relentless advocacy and showman-style demonstrations pushed the procedure into hospitals across the United States, often with little evidence, oversight, or ethical restraint.
Through haunting case studies, we examine the human cost behind the headlines. This episode questions how desperation, authority, and flawed science.
New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.
Follow along, stay curious, and remember—
Some medical breakthroughs are remembered not for what they healed… but for the lives they destroyed.
☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/the_cadavers_lessons
📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons
Class is dismissed.
📚 References
- StoryCorps. (n.d.). My lobotomy. StoryCorps. https://storycorps.org/stories/my-lobotomy/
- HistoryExtra. (n.d.). Rosemary Kennedy — the tragic life and lobotomy of JFK’s sister. https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/rosemary-kennedy-jfk-sister-life-lobotomy-what-happened/
- Autopsy of Architecture. (n.d.). St. Elizabeths Hospital. https://autopsyofarchitecture.com/st-elizabeths-hospital/
- DCist. (2016, March 7). Walter Freeman, St. Elizabeths and the lobotomy. https://dcist.com/story/16/03/07/walter-freeman-lobotomy-st-elizabet/
- Neurosurgical Focus. (2017). Historical development and current status of lobotomy. Journal of Neurosurgery: Focus, 43(3), E6. https://thejns.org/focus/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/43/3/article-pE6.xml
- HowStuffWorks. (n.d.). How lobotomies worked. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/lobotomy2.htm
- ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Lobotomy. In Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/referencework/abs/pii/B9780123851574008770
View all episodes
By Bernadette & Samantha SmithMedicine has always sought ways to alleviate suffering.
And sometimes, in that search, it silenced people instead.
Welcome to The Cadaver’s Lessons. In this episode, we confront one of the darkest chapters in psychiatric care: the rise of the lobotomy and the man who helped turn it into a medical sensation—Dr. Walter Freeman.
Once hailed as a miracle cure for mental illness, the lobotomy was promoted as a simple solution to complex human suffering. We trace how Freeman’s relentless advocacy and showman-style demonstrations pushed the procedure into hospitals across the United States, often with little evidence, oversight, or ethical restraint.
Through haunting case studies, we examine the human cost behind the headlines. This episode questions how desperation, authority, and flawed science.
New episodes drop Mondays, with companion historical case episodes on Fridays.
Follow along, stay curious, and remember—
Some medical breakthroughs are remembered not for what they healed… but for the lives they destroyed.
☕ Support the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/the_cadavers_lessons
📲 Follow us on Instagram @the_cadavers_lessons & TikTok @the.cadavers.lessons
Class is dismissed.
📚 References
- StoryCorps. (n.d.). My lobotomy. StoryCorps. https://storycorps.org/stories/my-lobotomy/
- HistoryExtra. (n.d.). Rosemary Kennedy — the tragic life and lobotomy of JFK’s sister. https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/rosemary-kennedy-jfk-sister-life-lobotomy-what-happened/
- Autopsy of Architecture. (n.d.). St. Elizabeths Hospital. https://autopsyofarchitecture.com/st-elizabeths-hospital/
- DCist. (2016, March 7). Walter Freeman, St. Elizabeths and the lobotomy. https://dcist.com/story/16/03/07/walter-freeman-lobotomy-st-elizabet/
- Neurosurgical Focus. (2017). Historical development and current status of lobotomy. Journal of Neurosurgery: Focus, 43(3), E6. https://thejns.org/focus/view/journals/neurosurg-focus/43/3/article-pE6.xml
- HowStuffWorks. (n.d.). How lobotomies worked. https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/lobotomy2.htm
- ScienceDirect. (n.d.). Lobotomy. In Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/chapter/referencework/abs/pii/B9780123851574008770