Egas Moniz: twice a double life.

Egas Moniz is credited with the discovery in 1927 of radioarteriography, for which he was, on three occasions, nominated for the Nobel Prize, and in all three denied the award. In 1949 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for having designed leucotomy, a brain surgery to treat some forms of severe metal disorders. He was also an successful politician and accomplished statesman.

Egas Moniz: twice a double life / Egas Moniz: uma dupla vida dupla

Egas Moniz is credited with the discovery in 1927 of radioarteriography, for which he was, on three occasions, nominated for the Nobel Prize, and in all three denied the award. In 1949 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for having designed leucotomy, a brain surgery to treat some forms of severe metal disorders. He was also an successful politician and accomplished statesman.

Egas Moniz foi o inventor da radioarteriografia, em 1927. Devido a essa descoberta, seu nome foi, por três vezes, indicado para receber o Prêmio Nobel de Medicina e, nas três, não foi considerado merecedor do prêmio. Em 1949 finalmente ele recebeu o Nobel por ter concebido a leucotomia, um procedimento cirúrgico para “tratar certos transtornos mentais graves”. Ele foi, ainda, um homem político e um estadista de sucesso.

Prefrontal lobotomy on Evita was done for behavior/personality modification, not just for pain control.

Eva Perón, best known as Evita, underwent a prefrontal lobotomy in 1952. Although the procedure was said to have been performed to relieve the pain of metastatic cancer, the author carried out a search for evidence that suggests that the procedure was prescribed to decrease violence and to modify Evita's behavior and personality, and not just for pain control. To further elucidate the circumstances surrounding the treatment of this well-known historic figure, the author reviewed the development of the procedure known as prefrontal lobotomy and its three main indications: management of psychiatric illness, control of intractable pain from terminal cancer, and mind control and behavior/personality modification. The role of pioneering neurosurgeons in the development of prefrontal lobotomy, particularly in Connecticut and at Yale University, was also studied, and the political and historical conditions in Argentina in 1952 and to the present were analyzed. Evita was the wife of Juan Perón, who was the supreme leader of the Peronist party as well as president of Argentina. In 1952, however, the Peronist government in Argentina was bicephalic because Evita led the left wing of the party and ran the Female Peronist Party and the Eva Perón Foundation. She was followed by a group of hardcore loyalists interested in accelerating the revolution. Evita was also suffering from metastatic cervical cancer, and her illness increased her anxiety and moved her to purchase weapons to start training workers' militias. Although the apparent purpose was to fight her husband's enemies, this was done without his knowledge. She delivered fiery political speeches and wrote incendiary documents that would have led to a fierce clash in the country at that time. Notwithstanding the disreputable connotation of conspiracy theories, evidence was found of a potentially sinister political conspiracy, led by General Perón, to quiet down his wife Evita and modify her behavior/personality to decrease her belligerence, in addition to treating her cancer-related pain. Psychosurgery was purportedly intended to calm Evita and thus avoid a bloody civil war in Argentina. It was carried out in maximum secrecy and involved a distinguished American neurosurgeon, Dr. James L. Poppen, from the Lahey Clinic in Boston. A recorded and videotaped interview with a former scrub nurse and confidante of Dr. James L. Poppen revealed that prior to the lobotomy on Eva Perón, he performed lobotomies on a few prisoners in the prison system in Buenos Aires. Later, Dr. Poppen seems to have regretted his involvement and participation in this sad chapter in Argentine history. The treatment of Evita at the end of her life was influenced by extraordinary circumstances of time and place but also involved general issues of medical professionalism, the ethics of neuroscience, and the risks of being manipulated by labyrinthine byzantine politics. This story serves as a reminder that any physician, even one considered to be one of the best in the world, may act naively and become a pawn in a game he cannot begin to fathom.

O conflito sexual infantil abordado de um ponto de vista psicanalítico por Egas oniz, o pai da psicocirurgia / Infantile sexual conflict approached from a psychoanalytic point of view by Egas moniz, the father of psychosurgery / Le conflit sexuel infantile étudié d'un point de vue psychanalytique par Egas Moniz, le père de la psychochirurgie / El conflicto sexual infantil desde el punto de vista psicoanalítico de Egas Moniz, padre de la psicocirurjía

Em sua conferência sobre O conflito sexual, proferida no Congresso Luso-Espanhol das Associações para o Progresso das Ciências e publicada em 1921, Egas Moniz aplica o método psicanalítico em dois casos clínicos, utilizando para isso o divã e fazendo uso da associação livre, da associação de ideias, assim como da análise dos sonhos. Esse neurocirurgião, principalmente reconhecido por seus estudos sobre a leucotomia pré-frontal, foi a primeira pessoa a se referir e a recorrer à psicanálise em Portugal. De fato, tal como Freud, Egas Moniz analisou dois casos da literatura apoiando-se no método analítico: o caso de Júlio Dinis em 1924 e o de Camilo em 1925. No entanto, sua contribuição à psicopatologia parece assombrada por seu trabalho sobre a leucotomia, que lhe valeu o Prêmio Nobel de Fisiologia em 1949.

During his conference on sexual conflict, given at the in Luso-Spanish Congress of Associations for Progress of Science, and published in 1921, Egas Moniz explained his use of the analytic method and device (the couch) to present the study of two clinical cases. He also discussed the principle of free association, association of ideas and the interpretation of dreams. Moniz was a neurosurgeon known primarily for his studies on prefrontal leucotomy, and was the first author to refer to and use psychoanalysis in Portugal. Like Freud, Moniz analyzed two cases in the literature in support of the analytical method: the case of Júlio Dinis in 1924 and that of Camilo in 1925. Nevertheless, his work on leucotomy, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1949, appears to have cast a shadow on his contributions to psychopathology.

Dans sa conférence "Le conflit sexuel", tenue au Congrès Luso-Espagnol des Associations pour le Progrès des Sciences et publiée en 1921, Egas Moniz applique la méthode psychanalytique à deux cas cliniques en utilisant le dispositif du divan, le principe des associations libres, l'association d'idées ainsi que l'analyse des rêves. Ce neurochirurgien, reconnu en premier lieu pour ses études sur la leucotomie préfrontale, fut le premier auteur à faire référence et à recourir à la psychanalyse au Portugal. En effet, tout comme Freud, Egas Moniz analysa deux cas de la littérature à l'aide de la méthode analytique: le cas de Júlio Dinis en 1924 et celui de Camilo en 1925. Néanmoins, ses travaux sur la leucotomie, qui lui ont valu l'attribution du prix Nobel de physiologie en 1949, semblent avoir offusqué sa contribution à la psychopathologie.

En una conferencia sobre el conflicto sexual proferida en el Congreso Luso-español de las Asociaciones para el Progreso de las Ciencias y publicada en 1921, Egas Moniz aplica el método psicoanalítico en dos casos clínicos, utilizando para eso el diván, haciendo uso de la asociación libre de ideas, así como del análisis de sueños. Este neurocirurjano, reconocido principalmente por sus estudios sobre la leucotomia pre-frontal, fue la primera persona a referirse y recurrir al psicoanálisis en Portugal. De hecho, tal como Freíd, Egas Moniz analisó dos casos de la literatura apoyándose en el método psicoanalítico: el caso de Julio Dinis en 1924 y el de Camilo en 1925. Sin embargo, su contribución a la sicopatología parece ensombrecida por su trabajo sobre la leucotomia, lo que le valió el Premio Nobel de Fisiología en 1949.

O conflito sexual infantil abordado de um ponto de vista psicanalítico por Egas Moniz, o pai da psicocirurgia / Infantile sexual conflict approached from a psychoanalytic point of view by egas moniz, the father of psychosurgery / Le conflit sexuel infantile étudié d'un point de vue psychanalytique par Egas Moniz, le père de la psychochirurgie / El conflicto sexual infantil desde el punto de vista psicoanalítico de Egas Moniz, padre de la psicocirurjía

Em sua conferência sobre O conflito sexual, proferida no Congresso Luso-Espanhol das Associações para o Progresso das Ciências e publicada em 1921, Egas Moniz aplica o método psicanalítico em dois casos clínicos, utilizando para isso o divã e fazendo uso da associação livre, da associação de ideias, assim como da análise dos sonhos. Esse neurocirurgião, principalmente reconhecido por seus estudos sobre a leucotomia pré-frontal, foi a primeira pessoa a se referir e a recorrer à psicanálise em Portugal. De fato, tal como Freud, Egas Moniz analisou dois casos da literatura apoiando-se no método analítico: o caso de Júlio Dinis em 1924 e o de Camilo em 1925. No entanto, sua contribuição à psicopatologia parece assombrada por seu trabalho sobre a leucotomia, que lhe valeu o Prêmio Nobel de Fisiologia em 1949.(AU)

During his conference on sexual conflict, given at the in Luso-Spanish Congress of Associations for Progress of Science, and published in 1921, Egas Moniz explained his use of the analytic method and device (the couch) to present the study of two clinical cases. He also discussed the principle of free association, association of ideas and the interpretation of dreams. Moniz was a neurosurgeon known primarily for his studies on prefrontal leucotomy, and was the first author to refer to and use psychoanalysis in Portugal. Like Freud, Moniz analyzed two cases in the literature in support of the analytical method: the case of Júlio Dinis in 1924 and that of Camilo in 1925. Nevertheless, his work on leucotomy, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Physiology in 1949, appears to have cast a shadow on his contributions to psychopathology.(AU)

Dans sa conférence "Le conflit sexuel", tenue au Congrès Luso-Espagnol des Associations pour le Progrès des Sciences et publiée en 1921, Egas Moniz applique la méthode psychanalytique à deux cas cliniques en utilisant le dispositif du divan, le principe des associations libres, l'association d'idées ainsi que l'analyse des rêves. Ce neurochirurgien, reconnu en premier lieu pour ses études sur la leucotomie préfrontale, fut le premier auteur à faire référence et à recourir à la psychanalyse au Portugal. En effet, tout comme Freud, Egas Moniz analysa deux cas de la littérature à l'aide de la méthode analytique: le cas de Júlio Dinis en 1924 et celui de Camilo en 1925. Néanmoins, ses travaux sur la leucotomie, qui lui ont valu l'attribution du prix Nobel de physiologie en 1949, semblent avoir offusqué sa contribution à la psychopathologie.(AU)

En una conferencia sobre el conflicto sexual proferida en el Congreso Luso-español de las Asociaciones para el Progreso de las Ciencias y publicada en 1921, Egas Moniz aplica el método psicoanalítico en dos casos clínicos, utilizando para eso el diván, haciendo uso de la asociación libre de ideas, así como del análisis de sueños. Este neurocirurjano, reconocido principalmente por sus estudios sobre la leucotomia pre-frontal, fue la primera persona a referirse y recurrir al psicoanálisis en Portugal. De hecho, tal como Freíd, Egas Moniz analisó dos casos de la literatura apoyándose en el método psicoanalítico: el caso de Julio Dinis en 1924 y el de Camilo en 1925. Sin embargo, su contribución a la sicopatología parece ensombrecida por su trabajo sobre la leucotomia, lo que le valió el Premio Nobel de Fisiología en 1949.(AU)

New evidence of prefrontal lobotomy in the last months of the illness of Eva Perón.

OBJECTIVE: To give validity to the claim that Eva Perón underwent a prefrontal lobotomy and/or another neurosurgical procedure. METHODS: 1) Press interviews given by Dr. George Udvarhelyi, who passed away in 2010, were read and his statements were crosschecked with excerpts of his memoirs; 2) Searched for other oral and written evidence in Argentina; 3) Reviewed radiological evidence and recent revelations about her illness and death; and 4) Carried out historic review of prefrontal lobotomy as an accepted and established surgical treatment during the relevant time period and place. RESULTS: Udvarhelyi's assertion in a press interview that a prefrontal lobotomy was performed on Eva Perón is consistent with the history he penned in his memoirs. Interviews with individuals close to Eva conducted by historians, revealed a clinical picture compatible with side effects from such an operation. Comments from surgeon Dr. Ricardo Finochietto, leader of the group of physicians involved in Eva's medical care, provide further support that a neurosurgical procedure was performed. President Perón's orders and instructions to the medical team also support this allegation. Review of skull radiographs show findings compatible with burr holes. Photographs of the patient at the end of her illness show indentation at the coronal level. The alleged procedure was cutting edge of surgery in 1952. The Argentine neurosurgical establishment was up to par in psychosurgical developments and there were neurosurgeons close to Perón that could have performed the procedure in those circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence was found that gives validity to Dr. George Udvarhelyi's claim that Eva Perón underwent a neurosurgical prefrontal lobotomy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This was done for treatment of pain, anxiety, and agitation secondary to uterine metastatic cancer before her death in 1952. Neurosurgeon Dr. James L. Poppen appears to have been involved in the case.

[Lobotomy and leucotomy in Brazilian mental hospitals]. / A lobotomia nos manicômios brasileiros.

Lobotomy and leucotomy were used in Brazilian mental institutions from 1936 to 1956. Also called psycho-surgeries, they were operations that separated the right and left frontal lobes and pre-frontal lobes from the rest of the brains, aiming at modifying behavior or curing mental diseases. The technique, created by the Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz in 1935 and developed by Walter Freeman from the United States, arrived in Brazil through the hands of Aloysio Mattos Pimenta, neurologist from Hospital PsiquiátricoJuquely in São Paulo. Soon, many doctors followed suit. These procedures were used on more than a thousand in-patients aiming at not only healing results, but also the technical improvement of the surgical technique, since preliminary experiments with animals were quite rare at the time. In Brazil, the technique was used until 1956, when it was considered as going against the 1947 Nuremberg Code, whose objective was to detain and regulate the medical experiments with human beings made during the Second World War.

A lobotomia e a leucotomia nos manicômios brasileiros / Lobotomy and leucotomy in Brazilian mental hospitals

A partir da década de 1930 chegaram ao Brasil duas das mais promissoras técnicas curativas da psiquiatria mundial na época, a "lobotomia" e a "leucotomia cerebral". Este trabalho teve o objetivo de descrever e analisar este procedimento, mostrando alguns impasses éticos subjacentes. (AU)

Egas Moniz e a neurocirurgia brasileira / Egas Moniz and the Brazi l ian neurosurgery

Relata-se a trajetória científica de Egas Moniz com ênfase em suas relações com a neurocirurgia brasileira.

This work presents a summary of the scientific career of Egas Moniz with an emphasis on his impact on Brazilian neurosurgery.

The role of psychosurgery in the treatment of selected cases of refractory schizophrenia: a reappraisal.

Prefrontal lobotomy (i.e. leukotomy) was widely performed for the treatment of schizophrenia during the late 1930s and 1940s but met with growing disrepute after the introduction of effective antipsychotic agents in the early 1950s. While non-invasive methods of treatment are undeniably preferable to somatic interventions for the management of psychiatric illnesses, there nevertheless continues to be a valid role for leukotomy in the treatment of patients with severe, chronic, refractory schizophrenia, particularly when the patient poses a risk to himself and/or to society. The present article traces the history of leukotomy in the treatment of schizophrenia, and reviews the author's experience with this surgical procedure in 16 patients who fulfilled the above criteria and underwent leukotomy during the years spanning 1985 1996. This operation reduced aggression and/or produced marked to slight improvement in all patients, and in no case led to adverse consequences. Thus, leukotomy is recommended as a legitimate treatment modality in selected patients with schizophrenia.

Notas para la historia del Manicomio General de México, década de los 40's / Notes for the history of The General Insan asylum of Mexico in the 40's

Con motivo de la inauguración del Pabellón Central del Manicomio General, en la década de los cuarenta, se inició una nueva etapa en la vida de esta institución, ya que éste contaba con una unidad de neurocirugía, un departamento de oftalmología, electroencefalografía, rayos X y otros servicios. Es la época de los tratamientos de choque, que se describen ampliamente. Exitos y fracasos son señalados por el autor, que vivió esta importante época de la psiquiatría en México