Evening star., 1937-06-07
e.. ". i. Doctors Sh0w animals
Tanned by ''Psycl,ic Surgery
Demonstrate Rare Brain Operation OF,
. Monkeys at Annual Meeting of the
American Medical AssOcinti0n.

over-driving, especially characteristic
Of modern civilization. resulted wor-
ries., distractions and all sorts Of
neuroses.
While most Of those upon whom the
operations were performed became
calmer and happier, there was some
question as to the permanent effects
on the mind itself. After all, the
prefrontal lobes were the most notably
human parts OF the body-their
size being the chief diferentiating
Characteristic between the brains OF
man and the lower animals.
Since then this subject has been
investigated at George Washington
and the findings were revealed in the
exhibit today. There seems little
question but that mental alertness
and originality are diminished. Per
sons lead 4 more vegetative existence.
but this does not mean that they are
not mentally normal.
Three Tests Exhibited.
DR.. Freeman exhibited to physicians
today three tests. One was 4 simple
maze OF electrical contact points.
Ordinarily it can be learned in four
trials and then repeated successfully
for an indefinite period. Persons
upon whom the operation had been
performed, 1t was found. require much
longer. They cannot remember their
mistakes and repeat the same errors
time and time again.
Another consists Of 4 sheet covered
with squares OF different colors. A
person is required simply to name
the colors OF these squares in order
1t looks easy for any one who is not
color blind, but actually, DR.. Freeman
says, a person who is emotionally up
set will pause several minutes before
being able to name = color. Even
entirely normal persons suffer
blocks" They can't keep their
minds concentrated on what seems
senseless task, although their
thoughts to roam, and find them
selves stuck. Persons upon whom the
frontal lobe operation is performed
do considerably better than persons
with entirely infect brains They are
less subject to distraction and this
some times has led to the illusion that
their intelligence actually increases.
1t only means, DR.. Freeman explains,
that there is less bumpy now Of
thoughts along a narrow channel.
The third test shown today is a
~ ~ hA al f~i hal
game. Pennies are concealed under
cups and a person tries to remember
where he saw them placed. Here again
lobotomized persons do not succeed
nearly so we'll - normal persons. They
probably could be more easily victim
lied by swindler.
Conditions Improved.
The following long list Of mental and
emotional conditions, DR.. Freeman
showed today. have been improved in
Washington patients by the revolu-
tionary operation: Tension, appre-
hension, anxiety, depression, agitation,
pre-occupation, sleeplessness, desire to
commit suicide, exhaustion, introver-
sion, delusions. crying spells, halluci-
nations, obsessions, nervous indiges-
ton, cold hands, states Of panic, dis
orientation, compulsions, catalonia,
alcoholism, heart flutterings and
hysterical paralysis.
There is no disposition on the part
Of the Washington doctors, they
stressed. to put forward the new
surgery of the psyche" as q cure-all
for mental disorders. Some OF their
cases have shown remarkable, and ap-
parently permanent, improvement.
Most Of them have shown some i'm
provement. In only one case has a
death resulted. All the other patients
have had no bad physical effects.
The operation seems to be most
beneficial they say, in cases Just on
the border line between the normal
and the tnsane-persons apparently
suffering from no organic disease OF
the brain but in extreme conditions
OF nervousness and worry. Life has
become too fast for them and 1t is
slowed down. The remarkable results
with the wild animals, 1t was stressed,
probably would be explained on much
the same basis. The macaque in cap
tivity is in an environment to which
1t cannot entirely adjust itself. 1t Is
constantly worried and afraid and ex-
presses these states in continual hos
tility. 1t IS highly intelligent ami
nal and its reactions presumably are
dictated by its prefrontal lobes. AMI
mails like the organ grinders eapuchin
perhaps hamt brains enough to stay
wild.
Similar experiments ut Yale Uni
versity on chimpanzees. DR.. Barris
explained. have shown that when the
animals deprived OF their prefrontal
lobes are glazed in bat1ing situations