Why Poland awarded one of its highest honors to a doctor from Augusta, Georgia

Dr. Eve’s Polish War Service and Augusta Professorship

Dr. Paul Fitzsimmons Eve left Georgia in 1829 to learn from Europe’s top surgeons.

Then history stepped in. While in Paris, he jumped into the French revolt, but soon joined Polish forces fighting Russian rule.

As a field surgeon in 1831, Eve saved countless lives amid brutal combat, earning Poland’s Golden Cross of Honor for his bravery.

Back home in Augusta by 1832, he took a job as the first Surgery Professor at the new Medical College of Georgia, where he later made his mark with groundbreaking operations.

The Old Medical College building still stands in Augusta, holding the secrets of this doctor-turned-warrior-turned-pioneer.

Georgia Doctor Started His Career at America’s Top Medical School

Paul Fitzsimmons Eve was born near Augusta, Georgia in 1806. He grew up in a rich family that cared about education.

After finishing college at Franklin College (now University of Georgia) in 1826, Eve went to Philadelphia.

He got his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1828, joining other young American doctors who wanted to learn from the best.

Eve knew he needed training in Europe to become truly skilled.

He Traveled Across the Atlantic to Learn from Top Surgeons

In November 1829, Eve got on a ship in Charleston heading to Liverpool. He wanted to work with Europe’s best surgeons.

Eve spent time in London’s busy hospitals before going to Paris. There, he learned from Dominique Jean Larrey, Napoleon’s famous battlefield surgeon.

Larrey taught Eve quick amputation methods and ways to treat wounds. Many American doctors made this trip to Europe, but few got caught up in revolution.

The French Revolution Gave Him His First War Medicine Experience

While studying in Paris in 1830, Eve got caught in the July Revolution. King Charles X tried to grab more power, and the people of Paris fought back.

Eve jumped in to help, working as an ambulance surgeon for the revolutionists. The fighting lasted just three days, but Eve got his first look at treating battlefield wounds.

The quick win in Paris sparked hope in other European countries under harsh rule.

A Polish Uprising Caught His Attention

Eve was still in Paris when news spread about Polish cadets attacking the Russian governor’s palace in Warsaw in November 1830.

The Poles took the city’s arsenal and fought for freedom from Russian control. The uprising reminded Americans of their own revolution against a powerful empire.

People across Europe cheered for the Polish rebels. Eve heard stories of the brave Poles fighting the huge Russian army.

The Marquis de Lafayette Helped Him Join the Polish Cause

Eve felt drawn to help the Polish fighters. He thought of Casimir Pulaski, the Polish hero who died fighting for American independence.

With help from the Marquis de Lafayette, Eve got permission to join the Polish Army as a Major Field Surgeon in 1831. He traveled east through Germany to reach Poland, where the fighting had grown fierce.

The Polish forces needed skilled surgeons to care for their wounded.

He Treated Wounded Soldiers During Big Battles

Eve worked near the front lines during the year-long conflict. The Polish army won 35 of 45 major battles despite having fewer soldiers than the Russians.

Eve treated wounded men after bloody fights at Grochów and Ostrolenka, often working around the clock.

He used techniques learned from Larrey to save limbs when possible and do quick amputations when needed.

Russian numbers kept growing despite Polish victories.

Warsaw Fell Despite Brave Polish Resistance

Russian General Paskevich brought over 120,000 troops to crush the rebellion in September 1831.

Warsaw’s defenders fought street by street, but the city fell on September 8. Thousands of Poles fled into exile across Europe and America.

Eve helped move wounded soldiers as the Polish Army retreated toward Prussia. The Russians took control of Poland again and punished anyone who had supported the uprising.

Poland Gave Him Their Highest Award

Before the Polish government collapsed, they gave Eve the Golden Cross of Honor, their highest award for a foreign volunteer. Eve kept this medal throughout his life.

Few Americans had ever gotten such recognition from a European nation. The award showed how much the Poles valued Eve’s skill and courage during their fight for freedom.

He Brought European Surgical Knowledge Back to Georgia

Eve returned to Augusta in January 1832 and opened his medical practice on Greene Street. When the Medical College of Georgia opened that same year, Eve became its first Surgery Professor.

The college built its first building at the corner of Telfair and Washington streets.

Eve taught his students the advanced techniques he learned in Europe and from treating wounded soldiers in Poland.

His Surgical Breakthrough Made Medical History

In 1850, Eve did what many consider the first successful hysterectomy in the United States. He removed a cancerous uterine tumor in a groundbreaking operation.

Though the patient lived through the surgery, she died from measles four months later. This operation brought national attention to Eve and the Medical College of Georgia.

His colleagues picked him to chair the American Medical Association’s committee.

His Military Medical Career Spanned Four Wars

Eve’s service didn’t end with Poland. He later served as a surgeon during the Mexican War in 1848.

When the Civil War broke out, he became Surgeon General of Tennessee. By then, Eve had moved to Nashville where he taught at the University of Nashville.

The American Medical Association elected him as their 10th president in 1857.

In 1931, the Polish government placed a monument in Augusta honoring his service to their country a century earlier.

Visiting Old Medical College, Georgia

The Old Medical College at 598 Telfair Street in Augusta houses the original 1835 lecture rooms where Paul Fitzsimmons Eve taught surgery after his service in Poland’s 1830 revolution.

You can see the dissecting rooms, library, and museum areas where Eve performed groundbreaking procedures.

The building became a National Historic Landmark in 1996, and there’s a historical marker about Eve on the grounds. Call 706-724-2627 to schedule your appointment.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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