For Mother's Day, please remember this wonderful Doctor

[CampfireZen]

Dr Ignaz Semmelweis observed that the incidence of women dying after childbirth could be dramatically reduced by health workers washing their hands.

As a result of his hand disinfection initiative, “mortality rates in the first division dropped from 18.27 to 1.27 per cent, and in March and August of 1848 no woman died in childbirth in his division,”
-Encyclopaedia Britannica

He was mocked, dismissed from the hospital, harassed by the medical community, stressed to the point of nervous breakdown, tricked into being committed to an asylum, doused in cold water, force fed laxatives, beaten & as a result died from blood poisoning at only 49.

History & science have vindicated him.

Thank you, Dr Semmelweis.
We are grateful.

I knew the story of how puerperal fever was conquerered by handwashing, starting in one hospital.

I'd never known the name of the person responsible.

It's a shame he isn't better known - the big leaps in understanding the importance of hygiene in combating infectious disease were some of the most important developments ever.

And we've all been thinking about the importance of handwashing this year

How could hand washing have been so controversial to adopt (it's ok I'm going to Google).

Thanks for posting-that poor man. I think we'll cover him in home education this week.

@MindTheMinotaur,

Depending on the age of your child(ren?), this is a nice, simple resource:
broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/people/ignazsemmelweis

There is a google doodle in his honour with handwashing instructions.

I remeber seeing an old black and white movie about his life, followed by a lecture on hygiene by my mum.

Thanks Autumnal great resource, much appreciated.

You're welcome