History of medicine: Phineas Gage

Life

• 1823: Born in New Hampshire, U.S.A.
• 1848: An explosion launched a railroad spike through his head. 
• For the following 12 years Phineas demonstrated symptoms of frontal lobe syndrome and a radical change in personality. Friends described him as "no longer Gage".
• 1860: Died of status epilepticus, in San Fransisco, U.S.A. (aged 36).

Significance in history 

• Demonstrated the localisation of functions in the human brain.
• Demonstrated the impact that brain structure has on personality.