Courtesy of Pam Martens.
Republican Presidential candidate, Ben Carson, came under media scrutiny last week over his longstanding claim that he had been offered a “full scholarship” to West Point, which turned out to have been a mere suggestion that he might qualify for one by persons whose names he could not remember. Politico broke that story while other media outlets have challenged the accuracy of his portrayal of himself in books he has authored as prone to violence as a young man, including an attempt to stab a friend, followed by turning his life over to God and going on to become a world renown neurosurgeon. The scenario of God’s redemption of Carson has greatly appealed to evangelical Christians who now form a large base of Carson’s supporters for his White House bid.
One highly significant area of Carson’s life that has not come under recent media scrutiny is the broad perception that Carson made history in 1987 by successfully separating Siamese twins, Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who were joined at the back of the head. Book promotion for Carson’s autobiography, Gifted Hands, released on May 24, 1990, described the outcome as follows:
“In 1987, Dr. Benjamin Carson gained worldwide recognition for his part in the first successful separation of Siamese twins joined at the back of the head.”
As recently as November 3 of this year, Emily Cadei wrote a feature story for Newsweek characterizing the 1987 operation as successful.
Writing in his book, The Big Picture: Getting Perspective on What’s Really Important in Life, Carson describes the Binder operation as a key driver of his fame: “That one operation more than any other event in my medical career, had catapulted me to new and surprising prominence in my profession. It had opened doors throughout the world medical community. It had led to professional and personal opportunities I had never dreamed possible and provided me a platform from which to address audiences I would never have been able to reach before.” That book was released on February 1, 1999. Publishers Weekly, in its review, again calls out the “successful” 1987 operation as a seminal event in Carson’s life, writing: “In 1987, pediatric neurosurgeon Carson performed a successful operation that separated two twins born joined at their heads.”
But by 1999, it had been clearly established to Carson and key members of the medical team that had performed the separation of the Binder twins that while the boys had survived the surgery, they would be neurologically limited for life.
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