A Crude Frontal Lobotomy: The study of Phineas Gage. The idea that man can change another man’s personality by merely altering sections of the brain is an interesting yet crude part of scientific history. This is known as lobotomy, specifically a frontal lobotomy. This was meant to be performed under medical supervision for possibly a couple hours but for Phineas Gage was done in an instant in a very rough manner. Gage would never be the same after a tampering rod was launched at high velocity through his skull and destroying everything of his identity prior. The story of Phineas Gage is a great testament to a change in psychological perspective through physical alterations. Phineas Gage was a hard workingman in his mid twenties. He was a foreman for a railroad construction company and known as being very efficient and capable in his duties. (Costandi, 2006, para. 2,11) His crew had the dangerous positions of destroying rock with explosives to clear a way for more railroad tracks. This involved drilling holes deep into the boulders and filling them with dynamite. A fuse was then inserted, and the entrance to the hole plugged with sand, so that …show more content…
13) A frontal lobotomy is a “surgical interruption of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the brain; often results in marked cognitive and personality changes.” (Frontal Lobotomy) The term lobotomy was unheard of during Gage’s time. The practice began in the late 1880s. This is why many didn’t understand at the time why Phineas Gage was acting exactly the opposite of what they knew him of being. Gage had damage to the left hemisphere of his frontal cortex, which destroyed any social inhibitions and are used for decision-making processes. (Costandi, 2006, para. 13; Weiten, 2014, pg. 80 ) This explains why he began to act inappropriately. Gage will never be the same again simply because his personality was blown out of his