Meet Dr. Walter Freeman, America's pioneer Lobotomist. With his trusty ice-pick firmly in hand (and the promise of a "quick fix"), Freeman arrogantly sought to solve all of the daunting problems of mental illness (throughout the 1940's and 1950's) with but a simple tap of his little hammer.
Throughout his 30+ years as a Lobotomist, Freeman (travelling far & wide) performed his miracle "4-minute" operation on a staggering number of mental patients. This was an era in medical history when (like the witch hunts of the 17th Century and being burned at the stake) a person could be lobotomized (against their adamant protests) for showing even the slightest aberration from "normal" behaviour.
This riveting and often unsettling documentary from PBS is a truly fascinating and first-rate production that gives the viewer a close-up look at a very disturbing Neuro-Surgical procedure that prevailed all across America (for, literally, decades) and often led to tragic results.
*Note* - This documentary is not for the squeamish.