He helps readers appreciate what Henry wasn’t able to. Throughout the entirety of his book, Dittrich strikes a delicate balance of beautiful story-telling and accuracy within the context of medical science. Even after Patient H.M.’s passing, he remained of value to neuroscience – so much so that Dittrich even tells of a long and messy custody dispute over the rights to Henry’s brain. Scientists have him to thank for his unintentional sacrifice so they could learn much of what they know about memory. Losing the ability to create lasting memories or learn new skills further restricted how Henry would live. Due to his frequent and often severe seizures, he was already quite limited. There is no evidence, however, to support the conclusion that it was anything like nirvana.”Įven before becoming the notorious Patient H.M., Henry’s life couldn’t have been easy. Patient H.M.’s personality became entwined with the aftereffects of his operation and he was known to be “docile, passive, uncomplaining.” While this may have made him an ideal research subject, would it also serve as evidence of contentedness? Dittrich admits, “It is impossible for anyone to ever know what it was really like to inhabit Henry’s mind and to live in Henry’s world. Like many of the asylum patients who received the same operation, he was left severely altered with profound amnesia. had epilepsy and not a mental disorder, the lobotomy operation was performed in much the same manner. He tells us alarming truths about mental health facilities in the 1940’s, such as: “Keeping the guests from discussing their mental states with one another was a part of the institution’s efforts to maintain its meticulously normal appearance.” From shock treatments to induced fevers and hypothermia, the array of “treatments” in those days was nothing short of terrifying. Even more chilling was the use of lobotomies in treating mental disorders. It’s a story about science, and about nature, human and otherwise.” Alarming Truths Dittrich writes, “My grandfather plays a part, but it’s much bigger than my grandfather. The author’s telling of his own life experiences and family history combined with the vivid depictions of Patient H.M.
his grandfather was the surgeon who operated on him. An Interesting Connectionĭittrich has an interesting connection to Patient H.M. Part biography and part memoir, Dittrich tells the unforgettable life story of how a young factory worker named Henry Molaison (Patient H.M.) became the most studied person in the history of neuroscience. Luke Dittrich’s New York Times bestseller, Patient H.M.: A Story of Memory, Madness, and Family Secrets is exactly that.
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