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The Man with the Pierced Head: Unveiling Phineas Gage’s Visage
For almost 200 years, Phineas Gage has remained one of the greatest mysteries in the history of medicine. The man survived an unimaginable accident, after which he quickly recovered. However, that doesn’t mean he emerged entirely unscathed.
Medicine is one of the oldest sciences, and despite its development since the time of Hippocrates, it still holds many secrets. Doctors sometimes find themselves at a loss, marveling at how the human body can cope in extreme circumstances. Perhaps if medicine and documentation in the 19th century were at modern levels, Phineas Gage’s story would be more understandable today?
Let’s start with who Phineas Gage was. He did not earn recognition for any discovery or invention. He entered the pages of history due to an accident that, almost unbelievably, did not cause major harm to his health.
The extraordinary case of Phineas Gage
Gage worked in railroad construction in North and South America. His duties included removing stones to level the terrain. To do this, he drilled holes in rocks and then detonated explosive material in them. Sand was used as a buffer at the end, and Gage would compact it with a special rod.
