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Phineas Gage, a foreman on the New England railroads, was pierced through the head with a 13-pound tamping iron on 13th September, 1848. The rod went straight through his skull and landed several yards away.\nDespite this, Gage was able to present himself at a physician, and anticipated being back at work in a couple of days. In reality, his convalescence was long and difficult, and Dr John Martyn Harlow claimed Gage\u2019s personality had undergone permanent change - an observation which made him perhaps the most notorious case study in neuroscience.\n\xa0\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly question Dr Harlow\u2019s account; discuss the surgery that saved Gage\u2019s life; and explain how the 2007 discovery of a photograph portraying him holding a \u2018harpoon\u2019 has changed how he is perceived forever\u2026\xa0\nContent Warning: injury, gore.\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Phineas Gage and the effect of an iron bar through the head on personality\u2019 (The Guardian, 2010): https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2010/nov/05/phineas-gage-head-personality\n\u2022 \u2018Phineas Gage: Neuroscience's Most Famous Patient\u2019 (Smithsonian Magazine, 2010): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/phineas-gage-neurosciences-most-famous-patient-11390067/\n\u2022 \u2018Lessons Of The Brain: The Phineas Gage Case\u2019 (Harvard University, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXbAMHzYGJ0\nFor bonus material and to support the show, visit\xa0Patreon.com/Retrospectors\nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts:\xa0podfollow.com/Retrospectors\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Sophie King.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2022.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices