Crowbar-Skull At Medical Museum

Almost 100 years ago on a small farm in Vermont, a charge of dynamite and a crowbar combined to produce one of the "most respected members of Harvard's Medical Society," Unfortunately, all that remains of this amazing member is his naked skull, resting in prominence at the Warrenton Anatomical Museum of the Medical School.

The owner of the punctured skull, one Phineas P. Gage, according to Myrtelle May Canavan, Curator of the Museum, led a most extraordinary and amazing existence. While tapping some explosives into a crevice back in 1818, Phineas accidently set the dynamite off and a 13 pound crowbar was driven clean through his skull from jaw bone to the back of his head.

Phineas was a rugged soul, and although he lost the sight of his right eye and was laid up for several months, in two years he was the principle attraction in a side show that toured the country. He even carried the crowbar along with him to prove the authenticity of his curious tale.

Now Resides at Museum

In 1852 he left the side show and arrived in Chile to drive a six or eight stage horse carriage, but soon sickened and in 1861 at the age of 38 died in California. Through the efforts of his attending physician, Dr. John M. Harlow, the skull came to rest in an exhibit case at the Harvard Museum. Only regret among Museum officials is that they don't have the crowbar.

This oddity is not the only attraction for Medical students within the Museum. Among other interesting items are the original other inhaler, casts of surgeon's hands, collections of acromegalie skulls. 600 prehistoric Peruvian skulls, and plaster heads of many criminals.

This conglomeration of bones and oddities is significant not only for the medical relies, but also as a place of study for future medicos. The collection has been built up by alumni of the Medical School who have added their own collections.