Semmelweis

Definition

Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician known for advocating hand hygiene in medical settings to prevent puerperal fever. His work laid foundational principles for infection control in clinical practice.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Semmelweis introduced handwashing with chlorinated lime solutions in the 1840s.
2. He significantly reduced mortality rates from puerperal fever among obstetric patients.
3. Semmelweis faced significant opposition from the medical community of his time.
4. His findings were crucial in understanding the spread of infections before germ theory was widely accepted.
5. Semmelweis' work is considered a precursor to modern antiseptic procedures.

Review Questions

• What method did Ignaz Semmelweis introduce to reduce infections in hospitals?
• Why did Ignaz Semmelweis face opposition from his contemporaries?
• How did Ignaz Semmelweis' practices impact mortality rates among obstetric patients?

Related terms

Antiseptic:

A substance that prevents infection by inhibiting the growth of infectious agents.

Puerperal Fever:

An infection of the female reproductive tract following childbirth, often caused by Streptococcus bacteria.

Germ Theory:

The scientific theory that microorganisms are the cause of many diseases, established after Semmelweis' time.