Man who suggested hand washing was thrown in an asylum and beaten to death
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
July 16, 2020 9:35am CST
Okay, so that's not exactly how it happened.. But it makes for a sensational headline doesn't it?
Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian doctor in the later half of the 19th century. He became perplexed when he noted that women in the midwife clinic were dying at a lesser rate than those in the maternity clinic at the hospital he worked at. He went through a list of things and eliminated them. At first he thought perhaps it was the priest ringing his bell that scared the mothers so much they developed a fever.
Of course, he found out that it wasn't the priest's routine at all. Eventually one of the pathologist's died from the same disease - childbed fever and he realized it wasn't just the women dying, but that any hospital personnel could die.
To make a long story short, he implemented hand washing, and the doctors begrudgingly started to follow his lead. This did not last long as he could not keep his mouth shut. He began to berate the doctors and insinuate that their unhygienic practices were killing the patients.
Onto the Asylum!
No, the doctors didn't throw him in there. His health began to deteriorate along with his mental faculties (possibly do to syphilis) and he was put into an asylum. It's theorized that he was beaten while in the asylum, and died of sepsis...
8 people like this
10 responses
@Calebxy (369)
•
17 Jul 20
Indeed, it’s a shame that so many people aren’t fully appreciated in their own lifetimes.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
16 Jul 20
I didn't remember his name, but I have heard of him. If he were alive today he would probably be happy to see how much things have changed. We take many things for granted, but in the past things were very different. It is sad that he ended up in the asylum. Those places were horrible. It is scary to read about the things that took place there 

2 people like this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
Yes, I feel sorry that he ended up there as well. People were so mistreated in those places and experimented upon.
I hope he would be fascinated and grateful of the way medicine has changed. He did pave the way for that change.
1 person likes this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32760)
• Calgary, Alberta
16 Jul 20
I watched a documentary about him before. Its the Church who doesnt believe him I think. You know religion use to be super powerful.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
Ah, was it? I skimmed through the article I read so I may have missed some points. Yes, religion used to be a heavy burden upon the people.
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
16 Jul 20
That is so sad..here a worker was beaten badly because he asked some boys to wear a mask in his shop
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
This happened many years ago now so it was definitely a different time. It's sad that beatings still happen. I believe the same has happened here recently. People are unpredictable when angry.
1 person likes this
@amitkokiladitya (171988)
• Agra, India
16 Jul 20
@ScribbledAdNauseum yes. They just want a reason to vent out their anger
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
@amitkokiladitya Right, or to do foolish things they normally would not do.
1 person likes this

@piyushbhatia1 (11695)
• India
16 Jul 20
Yes now everyone include people in food industry must maintain proper hygeine
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
We can only hope that they do. We can't be sure that they are.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
@piyushbhatia1 Correct, but there are always those people who think they are above the rules.
@piyushbhatia1 (11695)
• India
16 Jul 20
@ScribbledAdNauseum for their own safety as well they have do it.
1 person likes this

@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
Right. It's hard to imagine that people once thought things like evil spirits were to blame for illnesses.
1 person likes this
@nela13 (59365)
• Portugal
17 Jul 20
Poor doctor, he did the right thing but he had an awful end of life.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
17 Jul 20
Yes. It's sad what happened to him.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222986)
• United States
16 Jul 20
How awful. He was smarter than his peers gave him credit for!
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
17 Jul 20
Much smarter, and willing to figure out why the patients on that ward were dying.
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
16 Jul 20
That's basically the way I was presented with it just a few moments ago. I thought I'd share the shock feeling.
1 person likes this










