Ignaz Semmelweis is widely credited with discovering the life-saving power of hand washing in medical settings. In the mid-19th century, his groundbreaking observations dramatically reduced infection rates, though his ideas faced fierce resistance.

Semmelweis's Breakthrough

Working in Vienna's General Hospital in 1847, Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis noticed stark differences in puerperal fever deaths between two maternity wards. The First Division, staffed by doctors and medical students, had mortality rates up to 10-18%, while the Second Division, run by midwives, stayed below 3%.

He linked this to doctors performing autopsies then examining patients without proper cleaning. After mandating hand washing in a chlorinated solution before deliveries, deaths in the First Division dropped to under 2% by late 1847, proving invisible "cadaverous particles" spread via unclean hands.

The Resistance He Faced

Semmelweis's findings challenged the era's miasma theory (diseases from "bad air"). Colleagues mocked him, and his boss refused to renew his position, fearing it implied their negligence killed patients.

He self-published findings but struggled for acceptance until germ theory later validated him via Pasteur and Lister. Tragically, Semmelweis died in 1865 from a gangrenous wound, institutionalized after mental breakdown amid rejection.

Historical Context

Hand washing existed culturally (e.g., ancient religious rituals), but Semmelweis scientifically tied it to infection control. Pre-1840s doctors often operated unwashed, believing smells caused illness.

Aspect| Before Semmelweis| After His Protocol
---|---|---
Hand Hygiene| Rare; no disinfection| Chlorinated solution mandatory 1
Death Rates| 10-18% in doctor ward| <2% post-washing 1
Medical Belief| Miasma/bad air| Particles on hands 5

Modern Relevance

Today, WHO and CDC endorse 20-second soapy washes as key to curbing germs like those in COVID-19 or flu. Semmelweis's legacy underscores hygiene's power, especially amid recent pandemics—yet compliance lags, echoing 1847.

TL;DR: Ignaz Semmelweis "discovered" hand washing's medical impact in 1847 Vienna, slashing maternal deaths 90% via chlorinated scrubs, but died unrecognized until germ theory caught up.

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