Fleischman, J. (2002). Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0618052526
· Plot Summary
The year is 1848, and railroads are taking over the American West. Phineas Gage, aged twenty-six, works at blasting rock so that new track can be set. After an accident causes his tamping iron to shoot from underneath his left cheekbone, and through the top of his skull, he miraculously survives to tell about it. While by all appearances he is physically recovered, it is noted that his behavior has radically changed. He has changed from a quiet, even-tempered person to one prone to fits of anger and with a propensity to change his mind quite often. Doctors not present in the town where it happened believe that the initial diagnosis is incorrect, until they see the enormous scars that remain on the left side of his face, and on his forehead. Astounded, they search for explanations in an age when nothing is known of the causes of infection or the workings of the brain. As they work, two schools of thought on the topic emerge. One group believes that the entire brain is in charge of all functions, that a jelly-like substance causes the sections to work together toward one goal. The second group believes each function is localized, each section being responsible for a different function; they simply don't understand which section is in charge of what. Tired of the doctors and their theories, Gage leaves the hospital where research has been conducted, and goes to work for P.T. Barnum as an exhibit of the strange. When he tires of this, he takes a ship to Chile and works as a stage coach driver, a job he keeps until 1859. Returning to his family in San Francisco, Gage begins to suffer from seizures, which worsen until his death in 1860.
· Critical Evaluation
A gruesome accident is only the beginning in this fascinating look at how the brain works, medicine of the 19th century, and how the Gage case is still considered a medical miracle. Fleischman's work alternates between the telling of Gage's story, and explanations of the medical knowledge at the time of the accident, and finishes with information on modern diagnostics that have been run on Gage's skull (MRI photos, computer graphics with enhancements to show the angle of the tamping iron's points of entry, etc).
· Reader’s Annotation
A thorough and intriguing look at medicine of the 19th century, and how one man's misfortune has benefited the scientific community for over a hundred and fifty years. A good choice for readers interested in medicine or strange tales. Includes explanations on developing medical theories since the 17th century, the effects of germs, and the advances made in sanitation, surgery, and hospital care.
· Information about the author
John Fleischman is a science writer, has written for the American Society of Cell Biology, Smithsonian, Discover, Muse, and Harvard Medical School. He lives in Ohio with his wife, and their dog, Psyche.
· Genre
Non-Fiction
· Curriculum Ties
Biology
Anatomy
· Booktalking Ideas
Medical miracles and their influence on modern medicine.
Medicine of the 19th-21st centuries.
Anatomy of the brain and how it functions.
· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 6-8/Ages 11-13
· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
I am a huge fan of shows on The Learning Channel and The Discovery Channel, especially whose involving surgical procedures or the diagnosis of strange illnesses. This book was of the sort that might easily fit into one of their programs.
