Phineas Gage Research Paper

In 1848, Phineas Gage was 25 years-old when he was working on a railroad in Cavendish, Vermont. His job was to blow up rocks to make a way for a new rail line and in order to clear the way, he had to dig up a hole, put in an explosive charge, then place some explosive powder and pack it down with a metal bar known as a tamping iron. As he was packing down the powder, there was a spark created by the tamping iron which caused the explosive powder to detonate sending a 43- inch, 13 lb, tamping iron through his face. The tamping iron penetrated through his left cheek, tore the back of his left eye socket, broke part of his skull and ripped his skin, leaving a hole in his head. Miraculously, Phineas Gage survived but severely damaged his frontal …show more content…
He shaved Gage’s head and removed the dried blood and skull fragments from his head and brain. Throughout the process, Gage was conscious but was gagging because blood and pieces of his brain were slipping down the back of his throat. He was able to rest and recognize his family members which was good, but a few days later his face and brain got swollen. He had developed a fungal infection in his brain and was in a coma. 14 days passed and Dr. Harlow performed surgery on Gage. He punctured the internal tissue from his nose in order to be able to drain the wound Gage was fine but unfortunately, he lost sight in his left eye which was later sewn together and remained shut for the rest of his life. As a result, Gage recovered and was able to return home. The railroad construction company he had previously worked refused to take him back, so he began to display himself for money. For a while he worked in P.T Barnum’s museum in New York where people would pay extra money to part his hair and “ see his brain pulsating”. After that, he worked at a stable in New Hampshire and drove coaches in Chile. Eventually he went back home to join his family where he died of Status epilepticus in San Francisco on May 21,1860 at the age of

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