Phineas Gage
Railroad foreman whose brain injury reshaped understanding of personality.
via Wikipedia: Phineas Gage · see source
Phineas P. Gage (1823–1860) was an American railroad construction foreman remembered for his improbable survival of an accident in which a large iron rod was driven completely through his head, destroying much of his brain's left frontal lobe, and for that injury's reported effects on his personality and behavior over the remaining 12 years of his life—effects sufficiently profound that friends saw him (for a time at least) as "no longer Gage." Long known as the "American Crowbar Case," Gage influenced 19th-century discussion about the mind and brain, particularly debate on cerebral localization, and was perhaps the first case to suggest the brain's role in determining personality, and that damage to specific parts of the brain might induce specific mental changes.
- born
- 1823
- died
- 1860
- nationality
- American
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Gage was the first of five children born to Jesse Eaton Gage and Hannah Trussell Gage (née Swetland) of Grafton County, New Hampshire. Little is known about his upbringing and education beyond that he was literate. Physician John Martyn Harlow, who knew Gage before his accident, described him as "a perfectly healthy, strong and active young man, twenty-five years of age, nervo-bilious temperament, five feet six inches [168 cm] in height, average weight one hundred and fifty pounds [68 kg], possessing an iron will as well as an iron frame; muscular system unusually well developed—having had scarcely a day's illness from his childhood to the date of [his] injury." Gage may have first worked with explosives on farms as a youth, or in nearby mines and quarries. In July 1848 he was employed on construction of the Hudson River Railroad near Cortlandt Town, New York, and by September he was a blasting foreman (possibly an independent contractor) on railway construction projects. His employers' "most efficient and capable foreman ... a shrewd, smart business man, very energetic and persistent in executing all his plans of operation," he had even commissioned a custom-made tamping iron—a large iron rod—for use in setting explosive charges.
Reader's Guide
Around 4:30 p.m., looking over his right shoulder and inadvertently bringing his head into line with the blast hole and tamping iron, Gage opened his mouth to speak; at that same instant the tamping iron sparked against the rock and the powder exploded. The tamping iron—1+1⁄4 inches (3.2 cm) in diameter, three feet seven inches (1.1 m) long, and weighing 13+1⁄4 pounds (6.0 kg)—entered the left side of Gage's face in an upward direction, passed behind the left eye, through the left side of the brain, then completely out the top of the skull. Gage was thrown onto his back and gave some brief convulsions, but spoke within a few minutes, walked with little assistance, and sat upright in an oxcart for the 3⁄4-mile ride to his lodgings. About 30 minutes after the accident, physician Edward H. Williams found Gage sitting in a chair outside the hotel and was greeted with "one of the great understatements of medical history": "Doctor, here is business enough for you." Harlow took charge around 6 p.m., noting Gage recognized him at once and said he hoped he was not much hurt. Despite his own optimism, Gage's convalescence was long, difficult, and uneven—he was semi-comatose by the 12th day, with "fungus" pushing out from the wound, and by the 14th day the exhalations from his mouth and head were "horribly fetid."
Did You Know?
- Gage's tamping iron was 1+1⁄4 inches in diameter, three feet seven inches long, and weighed 13+1⁄4 pounds.
- After the explosion, Gage spoke within minutes, walked with little assistance, and sat upright in an oxcart for the 3⁄4-mile ride to town.
- Physician Edward H. Williams found Gage sitting in a chair outside a hotel about 30 minutes after the accident, and Gage greeted him with 'Doctor, here is business enough for you.'
- Gage's most serious mental changes may have been temporary; a report shortly before his death implies he was far more functional in later life.
- A social recovery hypothesis suggests Gage's work as a stagecoach driver in Chile fostered his recovery by providing daily structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Phineas Gage?
Phineas P. Gage was an American railroad construction foreman born in 1823 who became one of the most famous figures in the history of neuroscience after a catastrophic workplace accident in 1848.
What happened to Phineas Gage?
During a railroad construction job, a large iron tamping rod was driven completely through his skull, destroying much of the left frontal lobe of his brain. Remarkably, he survived the blow and lived for another twelve years.
How did the injury change Phineas Gage's personality?
Friends and colleagues reported that his temperament, judgment, and social behavior shifted so dramatically that some said he was 'no longer Gage.' The case became a landmark example of how frontal-lobe damage can alter a person's character and decision-making.
Why is Phineas Gage important to neuroscience?
His case provided one of the earliest real-world pieces of evidence linking specific brain regions to personality and behavior. It fueled 19th-century debates over cerebral localization and helped establish that the brain plays a direct role in shaping who we are.
When did Phineas Gage die?
Gage passed away in 1860, roughly twelve years after the accident that made him famous. His case continued to be discussed by physicians and scientists well into the 20th century.
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