Medical Librarian Wants to Have a Nobel Prize Revoked for Inventor of Lobotomy

Kelly writes “In this story, `Lobotomy Back in Spotlight After 30 Years,’ http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=106&sid=5424 66, Christine Johnson, a Levittown, N.Y., medical librarian, `started a campaign to have the prize revoked’ posthumously for the person who was awarded invented lobotomy procedures, Portuguese neurologist Egas Moniz.”

July 14, 2005 by Uncategorized 5

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5 Responses

  1. Brian G. says:
    July 14, 2005 at 11:18 pm

    Revoking awards
    I do not see how the Nobel prize could be taken back. At the time, I am sure it was cutting edge technology. Just because better alternatives have been developed, the original inventor should not be punished.

    Reply
  2. Kelly says:
    July 15, 2005 at 12:44 am

    Re:Revoking awards
    Oh, I don’t know. Large numbers of people who have submitted to lobotomies, most of them, plus their families, if you read the whole article, have suffered tremendously from it. Lobotomies have been a great profit-maker for those doing them. And they still happen today. Withdrawing the Nobel for it would send a loud message that it’s a very, very bad idea to undertake. The original inventor could hardly be punished because he is no longer alive to feel any this-worldly punishment. If this librarian succeeded in getting the Nobel withdrawn for the inventor of lobotomies, it could set a wonderful precedent for withdrawing the Nobel Peace prize awarded some years ago to that war-criminal Henry Kissinger, who I’d like to see punished *in this world* any way possible. I think it’s very cool that a librarian makes it into the news for a social activist effort that goes beyond libraries. Incredibly important as libraries are, there is a world beyond them!

    Reply
  3. Dan G. says:
    July 15, 2005 at 4:20 am

    Re:Revoking awards
    I agree, however bad the majority of lobotomies turn out, that’s no reason to take the honor. At the time the Nobel committee thought the procedure was worthy of the prize.

    The solution to this is to educate the living that lobotomies are a bad idea, not “punishing” a dead man.

    Reply
  4. Lee Hadden says:
    July 15, 2005 at 6:07 pm

    Killing Lobotomies
    After all, if we outlaw lobotomies, where would we get all the new library and college administrators that we will need in the future?

    “I would rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy” -Groucho Marx

    Reply
  5. Kelly says:
    July 15, 2005 at 6:26 pm

    Re:Killing Lobotomies
    A HUGE LOL for that one Lee, thanks!! Made my day…

    Reply

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