Seven interesting facts about Albert Szent-Györgyi who discovered vitamin C

Albert Szent-Györgyi is a worldwide known scientist who discovered vitamin C. He had an adventurous life, and there are many legends connected to him. What do you think encouraged him to make his big discovery? Magyarországkúl‘s article will help you figure it out!

Was he a mastermind as a child?

Legend: People around him noticed how talented he was at an early age.

Truth: Szent-Györgyi was believed to be a slow-minded child. Because his family thought that talents could be noticed at an early age, they were worried that his abilities are below the average. As he said, he was seen as stupid at home. In middle school, he was one of the bad students. His parents even hired a private teacher so that he wouldn’t fail.

He was going to become a proctologist

Legend: Albert Szent-Györgyi wanted to become a proctologist because he found illnesses in the rectum interesting.

Truth: Already as a fifteen-year-old did he know that he wanted to become a scientist. After a while, his uncle, who was a known histologist, supported him as well. He didn’t think the little Albert could achieve anything, but as he was suffering from haemorrhoid, he let Albert deal with his problem. This is how Albert wrote his thesis about the rectum’s structure. He even made jokes about starting his career “on the wrong side”. However, he never became a proctologist.

He had an alibi to disarm from the military

Legend: He shot himself so that he can go home from the frontline during the war.

Truth: He was enlisted during World War I, and after about two years he decided that there was no point in staying in the frontline. He believed that no deaths were heroic, so he shot himself in the upper arm bone. Back home he continued his research.

His wife got on his nerves

Legend: His wife packed paprika sandwiches for him many times even though they were always arguing about the fact that he didn’t like paprika. His wife insisted on packing paprika because she believed it was healthy. Therefore, Szent-Györgyi examined the vegetable to prove his wife wrong, but he didn’t manage to.