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Patient H.M.

a Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets
Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Jefferson County Public Library.
Sep 24, 2016MplsTA rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
An interesting accounting of the history of the lobotomy and lobotomy-like procedures told by the grandson of one of the first neurosurgeons practicing this surgery. The book tells the story of patient H.M. who receives a procedure which was to help with his epileptic fits. They include transcripts of interviews with patent H.M. through the years. The results are obvious to the reader. Overall an interesting book. But pivoting back and forth between the grandmother with mental illness, the lobotomizing grandfather surgeon and patient H.M., I sometimes felt lost. Also, there are many accounts of those poor souls who received this barbaric surgery and were never the same. Unnoticed by society as many seemed to be "throw away" cases where the mentally ill were abandoned by family and friends and sent to the nearest institutions where unfortunately they were preyed upon. This book is not for the squeamish.