An illustration of the brain injury of Phineas Gage. Phineas P. Gage, 1823-1860, was an American railroad worker who survived an accident in 1848 in which a large iron rod was driven through his head. The iron rod destroyed most of his left frontal lobe. The effects of the injury on his personality have been much debated as there is scant written evidence of what his behavior actually was for the twelve remaining years of his life.