History of Psychosurgery in The United Kingdom - Well-known People Who Have Undergone Psychosurgery in The UK

Well-known People Who Have Undergone Psychosurgery in The UK

• Josef Hassid (1923–1950), Polish violinist, came to Britain aged 14 with his father in 1938 to give concert performances and recitals in London, and make recordings for HMV. The outbreak of World War II prevented their return to Poland. In 1941 Hassid had a breakdown and was admitted to St Andrew's Hospital, Northampton, where he was given insulin coma therapy and electroconvulsive therapy. He was later detained in Long Grove Hospital, Epsom, and underwent a leucotomy there in 1950. He died 17 days later of a brain infection.

• Ronald Senator, Pulitzer Prize nominated British composer, underwent a leucotomy in St Andrew’s Hospital, Northampton, in 1950. He described the experience in his book Requiem Letters (Marion Boyers Publishers, 1996).

• Lena Zavaroni (1963–1999), Scottish child star and singer who had suffered from anorexia and depression for many years, underwent a stereotactic anterior capsulotomy at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff in 1999. She died three weeks later from pneumonia (which her doctors considered was not related to the surgery).

• The 13th Earl of Galloway was diagnosed as schizophrenic when young and underwent psychosurgery at St Mary’s Hospital in London in 1952. His story is told in Louise Carpenter's book An unlikely countess: Lily Budge and the 13th Earl of Galloway. (HarperCollins, 2004).