Thumbnail summary: On September 13th, 1848, in the process of setting an explosive powder charge while working on a railroad track cutting in Cavendish, Vermont [map], the charge prematurely and unexpectedly went off sending a 13 1/2 pound 3 foot 7 inch long "tamping iron"( referred to historically also as a "crowbar") up through the lower left jaw and out through the top of the skull of 25 year old Phineas P. Gage(1823-1860). Remarkably, Phineas remained conscious and communicated with his friends as they rushed him to a tavern in town where he lived. He was treated and survived his extraordinary ordeal, moreover, and lived for just short of twelve more years. His personality characteristics and social behavior changed dramatically after this experience, however, which lead to his remaining an object of continuing medical and psychological scrutiny to this very day(a new book about his life was published in 2002 by John Fleischman[ ISBN: 0618052526] ). In 1998 the town of Cavendish, Vermont hosted a celebration of the 150th Anniversary of this event attracting scholars from around the globe. The unveiling of a commemorative memorial was a high point of the occasion. Read more about it here. The size of this iron bar relative to Gage's skull is shown here. The probable path of the "crowbar" through Gage's skull as envisioned in a mid-1800s medical journal article may be seen here and in the journal Science in 1994 here. ------ Gage's experience is considered to be one of the most remarkable cases in medical and behavioral science history. Read more about the Gage case at Dr. Malcom Macmillan's Gage Information Page and/or in his definitive book, An Odd Kind of Fame:Stories of Phineas Gage (MIT Press, 2000; ISBN: 0262133636).

ADDITIONAL GAGE IMAGES from John Fleischman's Book(above)
Big Head Shot	Biggest Head Shot	Big Skull Shot	Biggest Skull Shot	Big "Crowbar" Shot	Biggest "Crowbar" Shot