Phineas Gage was an interesting case of brain damage back then that came came as a result of an accident while working on the railroad.
In September 13, 1848; Phineas Gage a quiet man of some 25 years of age was a blaster and railroad foreman who was setting up a tamping road, an iron rod which was set after drilling a hole in an outcropping of rock and filling it with explosive. In order to keep the explosion somewhat controlled the explosives were place at the head of "tamping" a combination of clay, sand, and then a tamping rod (or merely an iron rod). It is commonly suspected gage may have forgotten to add the sand, and while further not paying attention had turned his head as he had begun to be distracted by his men working behind him. This may have been lucky for him as he had opened his mouth and the trajectory put him sending the bar through an optimal way right through a smallish portion of the frontal lobe. After putting in the tamping rod the explosion happened prematurely which sent the rod through his head. He surprisingly suffered no inability of his walking, talking, or much motor function although his left eye would loose function due to passing through the optical nerve connecting it to the brain.
He would survive for 12 years, it was noted by friends and family that Gage had "changed". He was angrier and somewhat more aggressive, and his overall demeanor was munched changed. It was here that originated a correlation between the brain and the mind.
Eventually Gage would actually improve while working in Chile, although he would die thirteen years later due to a seizure.
