Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-07-20
WONDERFUL CASE.

In the american Journal of the Medical Sciences edited
by ISAAC HAYS M d. and published by Lea & Blanchard
the July numberwe find full of one of those
marvellous surgical Of tremendous injury to the
most vital ogan followed by unexpected recovery and
ration perfect heah-which every one feels to be 50 in
credible per require the absolute and overwhelm
ing proof in every particular before yielding belief
The alude 10, which occurred in New England
nearly years ago. and then Of the nine days
wonders Of the press, that of who by premature
explosion while blasting rocks had large bar of iron driven
through his head-cear through, aversng face and brain
without being killed the spot, Or indeed, seeming be
very unusually harmed thereby The american Journal of
the Medical Sciences has for its initial article, full com.
pee and authentic history Of the case from the time when it
occurred the 18th of September, ls4s up January of
the present year, when the patient visited Boston, and was
examined by various medical bodies and distinguished prac
toners, including Dr. HENRY ]. BIGELow Professor of
Surgery in Harvard University, by whom the description is
contributed 10 the Journal The paper includes the official
statements Of DR.. EDwARD H. WILLIAMS, Of Mortified,
Vermont who first the patient, and Dr. ]. NJ HARLOW
of Cavendsh, who attended him throughout the whole case
well certificates from Joseph Adams, justice Of the
peace and the Rev. Joseph Freeman, who witnesses
personally conversant with the facts. 1t is altogether so
amazing case perfectly authenticated in all particulars
and of interest far above all technical profession
al interest, that think do better than condense
its leading features for the qualification Of our readers
The sufferer in the case Phineas p Gage Young man
of twenty-five, "shrewd and intelligent" contractor or
headwokman the Rutland and Burlington railroad had
charged with gunpowder hole drilled in the rock and d.
reced his assistant to fill in the sand supposng which done
dropped his ampng the hole TO drive the sand
home. It happened. however, through nadvertence
that the sand had no. been poured in and the striking
fire upon the rock the powder naamed and the accident
Produced by the iron being blown like shot from
gun The tamping round rod three feet seven
inches in length, and inch and quarter in diameter ia
perng to point at the top, and weighing thirteen and
quarter pounds. The whole Of this immense weight and
length, this bar budgeon Of iron, driven through
Cages and bn he stopped over the hole in the act
of tampng the sand 1t struck him the left cheek Just be-
hind and below the mouth ascended into the brain behind
the left eye passed from the skull which it shattered and
raised up 'lke inverted funnel for distance of about
two inches every direction around the wound flew through
the air, and picked up by the workmen "coveed with
blood and brans several rods behind where he Stood Cage
who also less scorhed prosa.ed apparent
less by the blow Of the iron than the force of the expo-
He fell his back gave few convulsive wches of
the extremties, but "spoke in few minutes" His men
placed him ox-ca in which he rode three quarters Of
mile to his lodgings, sitting erect got Of the him
SELF and with but little assistance walked the piazza and
afterwards up stairs talking nationally to the physicians and
giving them clearer account Of the accident than his friends
could occasionally vomiting up blood the effort Of which
caused hsmohage from the wound with the actual loss of
considerable portion Of the substance Of the BRAIN The
left eye dull and CLASSY but sensible to the impress
of light Gage bore bis suerngs with heroic foritude
telling Dr. Williams, here is business enough for yo" and
expressing Dr. Harlow the hope that he was not much
hurt ".
OF course, forms part Of intention to give de-
tailed of the aud management of the case
which not varied by any circumstances interest to per-
not of the medical profession We merely note pener
ally that for the first ten days every thing wen. on well
Gage being, with intervals Of natural deum from
fever pretty rational and hopeful that at the close of this
period he lost the sight Of the left eye and lay for nearly
fortnight in semicomaose ate partial s,upor that he
then began to improve in body and mind was within two
months, walking about the street, in defiance of instructions
suffered relapse in consequence and finally being re-
covered from this in the tenth week free from pain and
rapidly convalescng.
The leading feature of this case" saws Prof Bigeow
its improbabity physician who holds in his hands
crowbar three feet and half long, and more than thirteen
pounds in weight will readily believe that it has been
driven with crash through the brain of man who is still
able walk off, talking with composue and equanmiy of
the hole IN his head Prof b., who Justly describes the
case as one pehaps unparalleled in the annals of surgery
says that he at first wholly skepics bu, that he
personally convinced Mr. Gage, ad visited Boston
IN January, and for time under the Professors OBJ
servaon who had his head shaved and cast taken which,
with the tamPng on is deposited in the Museum Of
the Massachusetts Medical College At that time the wounds
perfectly healed the only vsges of the accident being
blindness, aud unnatural prominence OF the left eye With
paralysis of the lds-a the cheek and another
the skull showing the irregular elevation Of piece of bone
about the size OF the palm of the hand and, behind it.
irregular and deep hollow several inches length beneath
which the pulsations the brain perceptbe taking
all the circumstances into considerations Gays Prof Bieelow
may be doubted whether the present the most re-
markabe history of injury to the brain which has ever been
recorded" This unquesionably true but considering the
little real injury caused by the passage of tampng iron
through Mr.. Cages head the wonder is that pistol bullet
buckshot-er little needle-can do so much exc
eution on the heads of other people.
WIN. q. CHUJNN