Listen to an edited recording of this event. Download an MP3.

Ken Hollings and Quentin Cooper explored changing ideas about mental illness and 'malfunctioning' of the brain, and twentieth century methods of intervention to cure or 'improve' the brain.

The mystery object unveiled at the event was a set of 'Watts Freeman lobotomy instruments' dating from around 1950, which belonged to William Walters Sargant (1907-1988), an advocate of physical treatments in psychiatry—lobotomy leucotomy, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), and psychoactive drugs. The instruments are held by the Wellcome Library.

Ken Hollings is a writer based in London. He is the author of the books 'Destroy All Monsters' (Marion Boyars) and 'Welcome to Mars' (Strange Attractor Press); his work has appeared in a wide range of journals, reviews and anthologies. He has written and presented critically acclaimed programmes for BBC Radio 3, Radio 4, NPS in Holland, ABC Australia and Resonance FM and has given talks and lectures at the Royal Institution, the British Library, the ICA, Central St Martins, the École de Recherche Graphique in Brussels and the Berlin Akademie der Künste. His latest book 'The Bright Labyrinth: Sex, Death and Design in the Digital Regime' is due from Strange Attractor Press in late 2012. Visit Ken Hollings' blog for more information.

This event was recorded live at Wellcome Collection on 25 March 2012.