Technological Th Century Surgical "Technological Term Paper

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As Pressman states, "Given what has later become known about the delicacies of brain function and the complexities of psychiatric illness, it strains credulity that such a crude procedure as the original lobotomies might truly have yielded therapeutic benefits for a great many patients." (Pressman1998, 195) This also refers to the fact that some medical theories are favored at certain times and not others. This suggests the relativity rather than the certainty of the scientific -- rational worldview.

The above brings us to the views put forward by Freeman and others concerning the technological fix. This in turn relates to other questions; such as why a method like lobotomy should have been seen to be effective in the past but not today. This leads to the view that political and social factors influence medicine and especially the success once attributed to a technology like lobotomy. For example, Pressman refers to the finding that lobotomies were "…successful because they removed troublesome people form society. Medicine had found an all-too-easy way to reshape society's square pegs to fit into round holes" and "...it was only a matter to time before a tool with such potential for abuse would be put in play by authoritarian and repressive forces." (Pressman 1998, 196)

However, Freeman argues for the use of the technology of lobotomy in terms of the results that he found. For example;

In one case auricular fibrillation due to rheumatic heart disease disappeared, and a presystolic murmur became audible for the first time. Marked alterations in blood pressure have also been observed, e.g.

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, a fall in systolic pressure from 170 to 140 mm. Favorable changes have also been observed in distressing gastro-intestinal symptoms, such as indigestion, bloating, constipation and hemorrhoids.

(Freeman and Watts 1937, 225)

And

Agitation is reduced in all cases. Patients in panic and catatonic states have become much more accessible.

(Freeman and Watts 1937, 225)

However, there were many who questioned these allegedly positive findings; for example as one medical practitioner stated:

I believe that evaluation of the clinical results obtained by Dr. Freeman would involve careful study of each psychosis and predication of the possibility of spontaneous remission or reaction to suggestive therapy. I have observed that certain persons with psychogenically determined psychoses exhibit hypersuggestibility and aresusceptible to many types of "cure."

(Freeman and Watts 1937, 227)

In conclusion, what is clear for the above analysis is that the issue of a technological fix has meant that the prior certainties of medical surgery have become open to question in terms of their veracity. Furthermore, what is also clear is that this questioning is based on a deconstruction of medical practices such as lobotomy in terms of the political, social and other agendas that have been seen to play an influential part in the acceptance of certain medial views and procedures......

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