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Semmelweis did not find a cure for puerperal fever, but he did draw a link between the fever and one of its major causes. He recognised that medical students in the Vienna Maternity Hospital were going to assist with child birth directly from the autopsy/dissecting room without washing their hands. He introduced handwashing to try to combat this problem. He did this in 1847, before anyone was aware of the true causes of infections, so it was generally ridiculed by other members of the medical profession. The drastic reduction in maternal death resulting from the introdution of his handwashing protocol was profound.

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Did Robert koch developed antisepsis?

Robert Koch did not develop antisepsis; he is known for his work in germ theory and his role in establishing the techniques of bacteriology. Antisepsis, the practice of killing or inhibiting microbes on living tissue, was developed by Joseph Lister and Ignaz Semmelweis.


Why were Semmelweis ideas weren't accepted right away?

Semmelweis's ideas weren't accepted right away because they challenged the prevailing scientific beliefs of the time that miasma, or "bad air," caused disease. His theory, that handwashing could prevent the spread of disease, was also seen as radical and faced resistance from the medical community. Additionally, Semmelweis struggled to provide a scientific explanation for his findings, which made them harder to accept.


What are three observations that were made by Semmelweis?

Semmelweis observed that mothers were more likely to survive childbirth when attended by midwives instead of medical students. He noted that puerperal fever rates at the hospital where medical students were delivering babies were significantly higher compared to the hospital where midwives were in charge. Semmelweis also observed that handwashing with chlorinated lime solution significantly reduced the incidence of puerperal fever among new mothers.


What is the mode of transmission of puerperal sepsis?

Puerperal sepsis is highly contagious by touch. But in the 19th century, scientist Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that the disease wasn't a threat so long as people thoroughly washed their hands.


What is the simple past of discover?

The simple past of "discover" is "discovered."