Cavendish Update 5/14/10 News/SB/Phineas Gage

This issue of the Cavendish Update is made possible by the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA), a non-profit membership organization that is dedicated to the conservation of land and natural resources and to the preservation of historic sites within the context of sustainable economic growth. FMI: PO Box 605, Cavendish VT 05142 or 802-226-7736

The 5/14/10 Cavendish Update Contains
1. Select Board Meeting
2. Cavendish Related News
3. 150th Anniversary of Phineas Gage’s Death
4. Cavendish Events 5/15-5/21

1. Select Board Meeting 5/10/10
The following was discussed at the May 10 Select Board meeting:

A. State Police Update: LT. Rick Hopkins and Sgt Anthony French presented information on Cavendish in the past year. The State Police dealt with 317 cases from Cavendish, including 32 crashes, 6 assaults, 29 burglaries/larceny, 25 arrests (39 charges), and 8 DUIs (driving under the influence). Cavendish is one of the larger towns served by the Rockingham Barricks. At the moment, there is the late spring/early summer lull. In response to questions from the Select Board, Hopkins indicated that they do not offer 24 hour staffing. Between 2-6 am troopers are on-call and will respond from their homes. There were a number of questions about towns paying for additional coverage by State Police. Currently, Cavendish pays for 12 hours a week for a sheriff. Hopkins explained that off duty State Police serve in this capacity, so they would not be removed to another area to respond to a call. One of the differences between the State Police and the sheriff is that the State Police does not charge for going to court. The only time the town would pay is when the officer is in town. Pricing appears to be comparable to what the town is paying the sheriff. If the town decides to go with the State Police, it would take about two weeks to put the program in place. The Police would operate at random times and would implement their program to best meet the needs of the town.

B. Town Constable Scope of Duties: The Select Board continues to discuss the role of the town constable with Seth Perry, who is newly elected to this position. The Board agreed to the following duties for the immediate future: serve civil and criminal process; remove disorderly people from town meetings; destroy animals when required; kill injured deer when required; assist the health and animal control officers; traffic control; respond to general complaints as directed by the town manager; and assist local and state officers, as well as fire departments as requested and appropriate. With training, the constable could also do VIN (out of state car purchase) checks, domestic retrieval of property and expand the ability to back up local and state officers and fire departments. Perry has already done the testing to qualify for the law enforcement training. Before further consideration of the expenditure for training, the Board would like to see a cost benefit analysis. There is also concern that the Constable is elected for one year terms. The town could pay for training only to have the Constable not run again or be voted out of office. Perry noted that this is the way he can serve his community and he plans to do this for quite a few years. He also noted that the term of office can be expanded beyond a year under the Vermont law. Further discussion is scheduled for the June Meeting

C. Endurance Race: The Vermont 100 Endurance Race has requested permission to run part of their course through Cavendish. Sponsored by Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the race is in its 22nd year and will take place July 17-18. The participants are expected to come through Cavendish from 4 am-10 am. The course would enter Cavendish near Bellingham’s and make a U shape along Brook Rd and exiting via the South Reading Road. An aid station will be set up at the junction of Atkinson and Brook Roads. The Board gave permission for the race. Volunteers will be needed to staff the Cavendish Aid Station. If interested, e-mail vt100volunteers@gmail.com

D. Energy Grant: The town will begin to implement the newly awarded federal energy grant in late June/early July. All of the work should be finished before winter. The two buildings, which will receive energy efficiency upgrades are the Town Office and the Town Garage.

E. Delinquent Tax Collection: A Tax Sale has been set for June 23. There are three properties that are in question for this sale. Rich Svec, town manager, has heard from all three property owners and it’s possible that agreements can be reached prior to the June date. Additional letters will be going out this summer to property owners that are delinquent in their taxes.

F. Green Mountain Railroad: Rich Svec and several members of the Select Board met with the Green Mountain Railroad regarding the junk and materials stored in the Proctorsville village area. The Railroad is willing to do a better job of cleaning up after themselves but noted that they are currently doing work on the track in the vicinity of the pile of railroad ties. It was pointed out that a number of items had been there for many years and that “it was an accident waiting to happen.”

2. Cavendish Related News
(Glimmerstone) Mansion Goes On Auction Block (Note: Auction has been changed to June 4)

I-89 Ramp to I-91 North to Close for Upgrades

State Drops Gill Home Director Charges, Revoking Nursing Home Director’s License still Possible

Windsor County Agriculture on Hiatus This Year

Veto Threatens Current Use Legislations Passed by Senate and House

Summer Programs for Regional Students

3. 150th Anniversary of Phineas Gage’s Death
On September 13, 1848 Phineas Gage, a foreman, was working with his crew excavating rocks in preparing the bed for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad in Cavendish. An accidental explosion of a charge he had set blew his tamping iron through his head. It entered under the left cheek bone and exited through the top of the head. The rod, covered with brains and blood, was found approximately 30 yards from the site of the accident.

Sitting on the back of an ox cart, Gage was brought to the boarding house where he was staying on Main Street in Cavendish. Dr. John Harlow treated his wounds, along with Dr. Edward H. Williams. The large wound at the top of his head was closed with adhesive straps and a wet compress covered the opening. No surgery was involved.

Within days of the accident, an infection developed and Gage lapsed into a semi comatose state. Fearing that he was about to die, a local carpenter prepared a coffin for him. Two weeks after the accident, Harlow released 8 fluid ounces of pus from an abscess under Gage’s scalp. By January 1, 1849 (approximately 4 months) Gage was functional.

It is remarkable that Gage survived this accident, let alone lived for almost 12 more years. Fortunately Dr. Harlow and Dr. Henry J. Bigelow, a professor of surgery at Harvard University, tracked Gage as much possible, thereby documenting one of the first cases of traumatic brain injury in medical science. It was also the first understanding that different parts of the brain have different functions. With this knowledge, the first brain tumor removal operation became possible in 1885.

According to Gage’s family and friends, his behavior was significantly altered by the accident. In 1868, Harlow wrote in the “Bulletin of the Massachusetts Medical Society” His contractors, who regarded him as the most efficient and capable foreman in their employ previous to his injury, considered the change in his mind so marked that they could not give him his place again. He is fitful, irreverent, indulging at times in the grossest profanity (which was not previously his custom), manifesting but little deference for his fellows, impatient of restraint of advice when it conflicts with his desires, at times pertinaciously obstinent, yet capricious and vacillating, devising many plans of future operation, which are no sooner arranged than they are abandoned in turn for others appearing more feasible. In this regard, his mind was radically changed, so decidedly that his friends and acquaintances said he was “no longer Gage.”

Not able to work as a foreman, Gage held a variety of jobs. He worked in the livery stable at what is now known as the Hanover Inn in New Hampshire. He drove coaches and cared for horses in Valparaiso, Chile. Around 1859, after his health began to fail he went to San Francisco to live with his mother. While there, he worked on a farm in Santa Clara County. In February 1860, he began to have epileptic seizures and ultimately died May 21, 1860.

Rumors circulated that Gage appeared at Barnum’s American Museum in New York. It would take another Cavendish doctor, Dr. Gene Bont, almost 160 years later to find proof that Gage did in fact promote himself as a curiosity. Bont found a poster advertising Gage’s appearance at Rumford Hall.

One of the least talked about people connected with the Gage accident is Dr. Williams. He was an engineer, who went to medical school when ill health kept him from working outside. Since he did not have a busy medical practice, Williams spent considerable time in various forms of engineering. In fact, he knew Gage prior to his accident. He was the first doctor on the scene but would have differed to Dr. Harlow as he was a surgeon. Not long after the incident, Williams returned to engineering full time and started the oldest engineering society in the United States, Tau Beta Pi.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of Gage’s death, The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) has developed a Phineas Gage Walking Tour, which highlights the approximate area Gage was injured, the homes of Drs. Harlow and Williams, and the locations of the boarding house and the carpenter who had prepared the coffin.

Copies of the tour guide are available at the CHS Museum, the Cavendish Town Office and the Cavendish Library in Proctorsville. In addition, on May 23 (Sunday), CHS will conduct a walking tour. The tour will begin at the Museum, Main Street Cavendish, at 2 pm. For more information, please call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margoc@tds.net

4. Cavendish Events 5/15-5/21
May 15 (Saturday): Gethsemane Church Historic Preservation 2010 Rummage Sale, 9-2 on the Parish grounds, Depot Street, Proctorsville. FMI: Ann Dortch 226-7836
• Paws About Town. Springfield Humane Society, which services Cavendish, is holding a dog walk fundraiser in Ludlow at 9:30 at Black River High School. You do not need a dog to walk. To obtain a pledge sheet, call 885-3997.

May 16 (Sunday): Proctorsville Fire Department monthly business and Blood Borne Pathogens Training, 1 pm at the Firehouse.

May 18 (Tuesday): Cavendish Fletcher Library adult education classes on basic computer skills. Class begins at 2 pm. FMI: Kata at 226-7503

May 19 (Wednesday): The Cavendish Homeworkers II Club will be having a meeting at the Proctorsville Fire Hall beginning at 10:30. People may call Paula Parker at 226-7653 for more info. There will be a potluck luncheon and all are welcome.

May 20 (Thursday): Community Luncheon at St. James Methodist Church on Main Street in Proctorsville. This month’s menu is stuffed cabbage rolls with mashed potatoes, green salad, hot rolls, jello whip, coffee or lemonade. Everyone is welcome. A suggested donation of $3 for seniors or $4.50 for those under 50 helps to defray the cost of the meal.
• Casting call for Cavendish Community Theatre’s summer play, 6pm at the Cavendish School in Proctorsville. All types of parts available. FMI: Sandra Russo 226-7398 or sandra.russo@yahoo.com

May 21 (Friday): Black River Good Neighbor Rummage Sale from 10-4 at Fletcher Farm. FMI: 228-3663
• GMUHS Middle School Semi-formal