#thesemmelweisreflex

[ofgraveconcern]

1st July 1818, birth in Budapest, of Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis, "saviour of mothers", a pioneer in the practice of antiseptic procedures into medical practice. During the mid 19th century, the occurrence of “puerperal fever” or "childbed fever”, resulted in a high mortality rate of new mothers after giving birth. Pushing for doctors and midwives’ hand disinfection between deliveries with chlorinated lime solutions, the resulting mortality rates diminished rapidly. Despite fighting for the results in all hospitals, Semmelweis's observations conflicted with the established scientific and medical opinions of the time and his ideas were mostly rejected by the medical community during his lifetime. The human behaviour to reject by reflex, new knowledge because it contrasts with entrenched beliefs, is known today as the ‘Semmelweis reflex’. You are cordially invited to follow @ofgrave.concern for more dark tales from history, and associated historically inspired art. #ignazsemmelweis #semmelweis #borntoday #historyofmedicine #medicalhistory #darkhistory #antiseptic #mortality #mortalityrate #19thcentury #19thcenturyhistory #hospitalhistory #childbirth #19thcenturymedicine #medicalfacts #medicalpioneer #medicalpioneers #macabrehistory #strangehistory #thesemmelweisreflex #disinfection #givingbirth #historyofchildbirth https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ1LxSvFBHy/?utm_medium=tumblr