The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-12
A Hsmarkabls surrical Case.


On the 18th of September, 1s49, Phineas P.
Gage, foreman Of gang of men engaged in blast
ing deep cut in the Rutland and Burlington road,
had a tsm2ing iron blown through his brains, and
recovered within sixty days, living twelve years
after.
The tsmping.iron was three snd a half feet In
length, one and quarter inches thick, and point
ed at one end, the taper being seven inches long
and the dismetet-of the point quarter of an inch.
Ii weighed thirteen pounds. The point was mp
ward and the iron smooth.
The missile entered the cheek outside the teeth,
and under the cheek bone, went inside an inch
behind the eye, and out of the top OF the head In
the center, two inches back of the line where the
forehead and hair meet.
Gage was perfectly healthy, strong and active
young man, twenty-five years Of age, OF nervo-
bilious temperament, five aud half feet IN
height, average weight one hundred aud hfty
pounds, possessing an iron viii as well as an iron
frsme, mus culsr system remarkably well devel-
oped having had scarcely days illness from
childhood up.
One piece Of the skull had been broken out in
fragments another piece was raised aud throw
back like door, the scalp serving as hinge ;
and on the opposite sde of the wound there was
another fracture and an elevation. The globe OF
the left eye was partially protruded from its
orbit, the left side of the face was more promi-
neut than the right The opening in the skull
wes two inches vide by three and half long, and
the brain was hanging in shreds on the hair. The
pusatiOn of the brain could be distinctly seen,
and the doctor passed his finger 10 its whole
length without the patient saying be felt pain.
10 fifty nine days the patient was abroad. On
the third day there was inflammation and some
delrium; and during several weeks there was
occasional derium for two weeks Of the time
the patient lay in stupid condition, and his death
wss expected and his grave clothes prepared.
rage thirty miles to bis home in Lebanon.
The subsequent history of the case ia interest.
| ing. Gage came back to Cayendsh in April, 10
fair health and strength, having his tsmping-iron
| with him end be carried IL with him till the day
Of his death, twelve years after. The effect of the
injury appears to have been the destruction of the
eGnilibriUm between the intellectual faculties aud
| the animal pTopensities. Hewss now eaprlclOus,
ftful iTreyeTent impatient of restraint, vacillat'
iuC-a youth in intellectual capacity and manifes
tstious a man in ply ysical system and passions.
| His physical. recovery vas complete, bat those
| who once knew him as a shrewd, smart, energetic,
peTsistent business man, recognized the change in
| his mental character. The balance of his mind
| was gone.
He went 10 various places, being engaged here
and there: was q year and a half in charge OF
| horses at livery stable; was exhibited at Bar
! nuns Museum In New York; and IN August
1852. four years after his injury, left New Eng.
| land forever, and went 70 Valparaiso with a man
| who was going to establish line Of coaches
| Here he lived eight years, occasionally driving
six. horse coach, and enduring many hardships. ID
| 1859 his health began to fail. In 1860 he had 8
| long illness, the nature of which cannot now be
ascertaned.
he row left Chile, and DIR. Harlow lost all trace
| Of him for some years, but finally found out thai
the mother and sister we're in San Francisco
| wrote 10 them and sceitained that Gage had go
| there in ls60; worked with farmer at SAINTS
| Clara ard in February, 1861, was taken with epi
| Ieptic fts;. afterwards he worked in severs
| places and finally, in May, 1861, had a success
| sion of fits which lasted q couple Of days, ant
carried him of.