Ignac Semmelweis (1818-1865) of Budapest and the prevention of puerperal fever.
As a junior obstetrician in Vienna in 1847, Semmelweis discovered the cause of puerperal fever and introduced a method for its prevention. Although his findings were hailed by some as comparable to Jenner's introduction of vaccination, for various reasons his ideas failed to gain general acceptance until after his death.
Dunn
P M
PM
Department of Child Health, University of Bristol, Southmead Hospital, Southmead, Bristol BS10 5BN, UK. p.m.dunn@bristol.ac.uk
D001317:Austria; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000266:history*; D011645:Puerperal Infection / Q000266:history* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control