Phineas Gage: An Image After His Accident

Discovered by vintage photo collectors, the daguerreotype portrait above depicts Phineas Gage who became famous after suffering a horrific brain injury. A 43-inch long metal rod, seen in the image, hurled upward through his cheek and damaged part of his front lobe before exiting the top of his skull. Depsite the injury, Gage survived for 12 more years after the accident, although many suggest that his personality was greatly changed.

See more images in this illustration tour of Gage's life.

_{From the collection of Jack and Beverly Wilgus.}