From Revolution to Scandal: The Turbulent Life of Dr. Arthur Wadgymar
Dr. Arthur Wadgymar, a Hungarian-born physician, led a tumultuous life filled with controversy and intrigue. Born in Debrecen in 1824, he served in the Hungarian army during the 1848-49 revolution before emigrating to the United States. His story, detailed in István Kornél Vida's book 'From Világos to Appomattox', is one of scandal, scientific pursuit, and escape from personal turmoil.
Wadgymar's life took a dramatic turn after the Hungarian revolution's failure. He fled to the Netherlands and later joined the US Confederate Army, serving as an officer responsible for military supplies. After the war, he remarried and moved to St. Louis, where he taught botany to pharmacists and conducted scientific research.
However, Wadgymar's career was marred by scandal. In Mexico, he amputated a man's leg and fed it to his pigs, causing a sensation. He subsequently moved to Carrizzo Springs, Texas. Here, he attempted to dissect a young man's body, only to discover the man was still alive in a deep coma. Wadgymar served as the chief physician of the town until his death from influenza in 1899, also publishing medical research and studying botany.
Wadgymar's early life was no less tumultuous. Born in Germany, he started a medical practice in Louisville, Kentucky, and secretly married a woman who later died in a steamboat accident. His past in Hungary was equally dramatic. He allegedly killed his father in a duel over a ballerina's affections and fled to escape his brother's revenge.
Dr. Arthur Wadgymar's life was a complex tapestry of medical achievement, scandal, and personal turmoil. His story reflects the broader emigration of Hungarians to the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries, a period marked by political upheaval and new opportunities. Despite his controversial actions, Wadgymar's medical contributions and scientific pursuits left a lasting impact.
