Phineas Gage

Gage holding the iron that impaled his skull in 1849

Phineas P. Gage (July 9, 1823 – May 21, 1860) was an American railroad construction foreman. He is known for his unlikely 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. This caused effects on his personality and behavior over the remaining 12 years of his life.

Gage was born in Lebanon, New Hampshire. He died on May 21, 1860 in the San Francisco Bay Area from status epilepticus (a form of a seizure), aged 36.

Gallery

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  A diagram of Gage's skull after being impaled by the iron
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  A 3D diagram of his injury
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  A detailed diagram of the brain damage Gage had
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  A simple drawing showing the process of Gage's accident and recovery
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  Gage's skull on display at Harvard University