Sallie Ellen Ionesco
1917 – 2007


Notable Because: First transorbital or “ice pick” lobotomy

The first transorbital (ice pick) lobotomy was performed in 1946, also by Dr. Walter Freeman. Ionesco was a 29 year-old housewife and mother who was described as violently suicidal. In His Washington D.C. office, Freeman rendered Ionesco unconscious through electroshock. He then inserted an ice pick above her eyeball, banged it through her eye socket into her brain and then swirled it around in a sort of eggbeater motion to scramble the neural connections. The family considered the operation a success and a blessed relief. She lost some memory function but was relatively intact and led a fairly normal life.

Interesting Fact: Ionesco’s daughter is quoted saying “It’s a hard decision to make, but inevitably life is just full of decisions like that… For me it was a good thing. I think for mama it was a good thing. And I think the lobotomy he did on her was a very good thing. Certainly the electroshock therapy was. Of course now they have medicine for this, so it’s all a moot point. But they had nothing back then. That’s the thing, people who are looking at it don’t understand, they didn’t have anything else and nobody was coming up with anything.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or my personal favorite, having one of their kids lobotomized. For having a lower-than-average IQ. And sneaking out of the convent they sent her to.

Real class act, those Kennedys.

There are many legitimate reasons to criticize the Kennedys. Lobotomization and institutionalization of developmentally challenged children was the absolute standard of care at the time when Rose Kennedy did it. You should familiarize yourself with the RFKs' family foundation "Best Buddies" to really appreciate what an ignorant swipe you are taking at them on that issue. You are clueless.

I'm not, actually.

She was developmentally able enough to keep a diary in which she detailed going to parties, picking out dresses, having teas and meeting President Roosevelt. She was institutionalized and lobotomized for displeasing her parents by escaping the convent they sent her to. At the time it was done to her, it was considered a new procedure. It was NOT the standard of care. Her classy father never visited her again after he had her lobotomized.

The foundation was formed years later, perhaps due to familial guilt? Klassy.

It was also done because they feared she would become pregnant out of wedlock as she was sexually active. Screwing around is a pastime reserved only for the boys in the Kennedy family.
Lobotomized as a young woman

"But as she got older, her father worried that his daughter’s mild condition would lead her into situations that could damage the family’s reputation."

“Rosemary was a woman, and there was a dread fear of pregnancy, disease and disgrace,” author Laurence Leamer wrote in an unauthorized Kennedy biography called “The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family.” He wrote that Rosemary had taken to sneaking out of the convent where she was staying at the time.

Doctors told Joseph Kennedy that a lobotomy, a medical procedure in which the frontal lobes of a patient’s brain are scraped away, would help his daughter and calm her mood swings that the family found difficult to handle at home.

Psychosurgery was in its infancy at the time, and only a few hundred lobotomies had been performed. The procedure was believed to be a way to relieve serious mental disorders. Leamer wrote that Rosemary was “probably the first person with mental retardation in America to receive a prefrontal lobotomy.”

You know what is really sad? A person like you who is quoting an unauthorized biography (which basically has NO standard of truth whatsoever) to support your expertise on the field of psychiatric surgery (which is what it is called, not "psychosurgery"). Going around judging a painful chapter in a family's life with 50/50 hindsight is usually the activity of people who are compensating for their OWN guilt. Work out what your issues are with your SN child with a therapist, PP. But if blaming Joe Kennedy for it makes you feel better go for it. I also have a special needs kids. It has made me more sensitive to human frailty--clearly not the case for you. But carry on with your quotes from 'unauthorized celebrity biographers'.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I bought this shirt for my DS years ago before Ted died.

Clearly you have as much class as the Kennedys.

I have enough class for him to never of worn it in public. I found it too funny NOT to buy.

Your classiness speaks for itself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not clueless..Joe Kennedy did it without his wife's permission..The family is awful..I am thinking OP has to be a troll.

Yeah, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to lobotomization in the US and abroad during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s. It was considered revolutionary. Of course with hindsight we have come to realize that it was wrong minded. I am not an academic, but here is a site http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-10-26/long-island-voice/the-scary-days-when-thousands-were-lobotomized-on-long-island/ do your own research, if you like--there are thousands of state hospitals that were filled with people who had this procedure. Mistakes were made. Joe was monstrous for MANY things. Not this. You are clueless or uninformed or both on this issue.

Yes, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to the procedure, agreed....but your earlier claim was that it was the "absolute standard of care" for developmentally disabled children. That's two quite different claims. I can agreed that many people needlessly had the procedure, but I know of no evidence that it was accepted as the standard of care for developmentally disabled children.

I have a special needs child and I am very well read in the sad history of institutionalization of SN kids in this country.

Why are you apply modern standards of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment to the dark ages? Thorazine and a lobotomy and you were considered fixed. The fact that you have a special needs kid should mean you are more sensitive to the narrow and hard choices people have to make in these matters, especially back then. 50 years from now, people will be saying that ABA was an idiotic utter waste of time. Again, it was standard to lobotomize people at the time the Kennedys did it. It was sad and terrible--but what is the point of attacking Rose Kennedy for this? It is cruel and a real disservice to her grandchildren that have worked for and created a foundation that helps so many special needs kids. They don't have to do this. Every family has utter assholes in it--Kennedys probably have more than their share--but there are so g-damned many of them...

It has nothing to do with applying modern standards of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment. Your statements are absurd. You stated that it was the "absolute standard of care" for developmentally disabled children to receive lobotomies and so far have produced zero data, sources, or information to back that up except for an attempt get us to empathize with the Kennedy family.

And you think that I should be sensitive to a family that decides to LOBOTOMIZE their child as a "narrow and hard choice." ??????? You know, that's like telling the folks in General Parenting that they should be sensitive to child abusers and pedophiles because they have "narrow and hard choices." Really, you are absolutely ridiculous. Sensitive to cruelty? Sensitive to surgery that deprives a child utterly and completely of personality, well-being, and any future?

You know, the Kennedys have done many things to make up for Rose. They started Kennedy-Krieger Institute, where my child receives health care. If you had pointed to that, I would have clapped. But defending a lobotomy for a child? You're sick.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not clueless..Joe Kennedy did it without his wife's permission..The family is awful..I am thinking OP has to be a troll.

Yeah, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to lobotomization in the US and abroad during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s. It was considered revolutionary. Of course with hindsight we have come to realize that it was wrong minded. I am not an academic, but here is a site http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-10-26/long-island-voice/the-scary-days-when-thousands-were-lobotomized-on-long-island/ do your own research, if you like--there are thousands of state hospitals that were filled with people who had this procedure. Mistakes were made. Joe was monstrous for MANY things. Not this. You are clueless or uninformed or both on this issue.

Yes, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to the procedure, agreed....but your earlier claim was that it was the "absolute standard of care" for developmentally disabled children. That's two quite different claims. I can agreed that many people needlessly had the procedure, but I know of no evidence that it was accepted as the standard of care for developmentally disabled children.

I have a special needs child and I am very well read in the sad history of institutionalization of SN kids in this country.

Why are you apply modern standards of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment to the dark ages? Thorazine and a lobotomy and you were considered fixed. The fact that you have a special needs kid should mean you are more sensitive to the narrow and hard choices people have to make in these matters, especially back then. 50 years from now, people will be saying that ABA was an idiotic utter waste of time. Again, it was standard to lobotomize people at the time the Kennedys did it. It was sad and terrible--but what is the point of attacking Rose Kennedy for this? It is cruel and a real disservice to her grandchildren that have worked for and created a foundation that helps so many special needs kids. They don't have to do this. Every family has utter assholes in it--Kennedys probably have more than their share--but there are so g-damned many of them...

Good lord, did YOU have a lobotoymy? Read the literature, read the statements from the performing surgeon--it WAS NOT standard when he performed. She was functioning on the level of a 10-12 yr old. It was not standard treatment for mental retardation of relatively functioning people--she met the freakin' sitting president of the US (Roosevelt). Not the typical candidate.

It was done so they would save the Kennedys the horror of dealing with her when she escaped her convent and potentially chose to discover her sexuality. Idiot.

Yikes! Is this a north vs. south thing?

Anonymous wrote:The Kennedy's are Honey BooBoo's family with table manners and a better diet.

And that is what we refer to a Klassy!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not clueless..Joe Kennedy did it without his wife's permission..The family is awful..I am thinking OP has to be a troll.

Yeah, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to lobotomization in the US and abroad during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s. It was considered revolutionary. Of course with hindsight we have come to realize that it was wrong minded. I am not an academic, but here is a site http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-10-26/long-island-voice/the-scary-days-when-thousands-were-lobotomized-on-long-island/ do your own research, if you like--there are thousands of state hospitals that were filled with people who had this procedure. Mistakes were made. Joe was monstrous for MANY things. Not this. You are clueless or uninformed or both on this issue.

Yes, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to the procedure, agreed....but your earlier claim was that it was the "absolute standard of care" for developmentally disabled children. That's two quite different claims. I can agreed that many people needlessly had the procedure, but I know of no evidence that it was accepted as the standard of care for developmentally disabled children.

I have a special needs child and I am very well read in the sad history of institutionalization of SN kids in this country.

Why are you apply modern standards of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment to the dark ages? Thorazine and a lobotomy and you were considered fixed. The fact that you have a special needs kid should mean you are more sensitive to the narrow and hard choices people have to make in these matters, especially back then. 50 years from now, people will be saying that ABA was an idiotic utter waste of time. Again, it was standard to lobotomize people at the time the Kennedys did it. It was sad and terrible--but what is the point of attacking Rose Kennedy for this? It is cruel and a real disservice to her grandchildren that have worked for and created a foundation that helps so many special needs kids. They don't have to do this. Every family has utter assholes in it--Kennedys probably have more than their share--but there are so g-damned many of them...

Hardly standard: Psychosurgery was in its infancy at the time, and only a few hundred lobotomies had been performed. The procedure was believed to be a way to relieve serious mental disorders. Leamer wrote that Rosemary was “probably the first person with mental retardation in America to receive a prefrontal lobotomy.”

Given that none of them really have to work (or at least can expect not to have to work when their shares of the inheritance become available), there are the expected number of complete trainwrecks, and an unexpectedly high number of them in public service. Some of the public servants are also the trainwrecks.

AT any rate, Joe Kennedy Sr. had 9 kids, and about 30 grandkids. His great-grandkids are now entering politics. We are probably getting to the point where it is difficult to generalize about them

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not clueless..Joe Kennedy did it without his wife's permission..The family is awful..I am thinking OP has to be a troll.

Yeah, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to lobotomization in the US and abroad during the 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s. It was considered revolutionary. Of course with hindsight we have come to realize that it was wrong minded. I am not an academic, but here is a site http://www.villagevoice.com/1999-10-26/long-island-voice/the-scary-days-when-thousands-were-lobotomized-on-long-island/ do your own research, if you like--there are thousands of state hospitals that were filled with people who had this procedure. Mistakes were made. Joe was monstrous for MANY things. Not this. You are clueless or uninformed or both on this issue.

Yes, thousands of people were needlessly subjected to the procedure, agreed....but your earlier claim was that it was the "absolute standard of care" for developmentally disabled children. That's two quite different claims. I can agreed that many people needlessly had the procedure, but I know of no evidence that it was accepted as the standard of care for developmentally disabled children.

I have a special needs child and I am very well read in the sad history of institutionalization of SN kids in this country.

Why are you apply modern standards of psychiatry and psychiatric treatment to the dark ages? Thorazine and a lobotomy and you were considered fixed. The fact that you have a special needs kid should mean you are more sensitive to the narrow and hard choices people have to make in these matters, especially back then. 50 years from now, people will be saying that ABA was an idiotic utter waste of time. Again, it was standard to lobotomize people at the time the Kennedys did it. It was sad and terrible--but what is the point of attacking Rose Kennedy for this? It is cruel and a real disservice to her grandchildren that have worked for and created a foundation that helps so many special needs kids. They don't have to do this. Every family has utter assholes in it--Kennedys probably have more than their share--but there are so g-damned many of them...

So this thread is about bashing a bunch of dead people? Now that's classy!

Signed, not a huge Kennedy fan, but WTF?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or my personal favorite, having one of their kids lobotomized. For having a lower-than-average IQ. And sneaking out of the convent they sent her to.

Real class act, those Kennedys.

There are many legitimate reasons to criticize the Kennedys. Lobotomization and institutionalization of developmentally challenged children was the absolute standard of care at the time when Rose Kennedy did it. You should familiarize yourself with the RFKs' family foundation "Best Buddies" to really appreciate what an ignorant swipe you are taking at them on that issue. You are clueless.

I'm not, actually.

She was developmentally able enough to keep a diary in which she detailed going to parties, picking out dresses, having teas and meeting President Roosevelt. She was institutionalized and lobotomized for displeasing her parents by escaping the convent they sent her to. At the time it was done to her, it was considered a new procedure. It was NOT the standard of care. Her classy father never visited her again after he had her lobotomized.

The foundation was formed years later, perhaps due to familial guilt? Klassy.

It was also done because they feared she would become pregnant out of wedlock as she was sexually active. Screwing around is a pastime reserved only for the boys in the Kennedy family.
Lobotomized as a young woman

"But as she got older, her father worried that his daughter’s mild condition would lead her into situations that could damage the family’s reputation."

“Rosemary was a woman, and there was a dread fear of pregnancy, disease and disgrace,” author Laurence Leamer wrote in an unauthorized Kennedy biography called “The Kennedy Women: The Saga of an American Family.” He wrote that Rosemary had taken to sneaking out of the convent where she was staying at the time.

Doctors told Joseph Kennedy that a lobotomy, a medical procedure in which the frontal lobes of a patient’s brain are scraped away, would help his daughter and calm her mood swings that the family found difficult to handle at home.

Psychosurgery was in its infancy at the time, and only a few hundred lobotomies had been performed. The procedure was believed to be a way to relieve serious mental disorders. Leamer wrote that Rosemary was “probably the first person with mental retardation in America to receive a prefrontal lobotomy.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I bought this shirt for my DS years ago before Ted died.

Clearly you have as much class as the Kennedys.

I have enough class for him to never of worn it in public. I found it too funny NOT to buy.

Kennedys=Kardashian Klassy

I thought this headline at first was a joke.