!!!Semmelweis, Ignaz Philipp

b. Buda (Budapest), July 1, 1818, 
d. Vienna, Aug. 13, 1865. Obstetrician, discovered the cause of 
puerperal fever ("saviour of mothers"). 1846-1849 assistant at the 
obstetric clinic in Vienna, then physician in Budapest, where he 
became university professor of obstetrics in 1855. Was the first to 
realise that puerperal fever was an infection passed on by doctors and 
midwives and applied antiseptic methods before the Englishman 
J. B. Lister (chlorinated lime disinfection). Most of the 
contemporary authorities to whom he appealed in open letters opposed 
him; was fully recognised only after his death. S. died of 
blood-poisoning while confined in a lunatic asylum in Vienna. The 
gynaecological hospital in the 18th district of Vienna has been named 
after him.

!Publications
Die Aethiologie, der Begriff und die Prophylaxis des 
Kindbettfiebers, 1857-1860; 2 offene Briefe an Dr. J. Spaeth, 1861; 2 
offene Briefe an Hofrat Dr. C. J. v. Siebold, 1861. - Edition: 
Gesammelte Werke, ed. by D. Gyoery, 1905.

!Literature
A. Hegar, I. P. S. und seine Lehre, 1882; E. 
Lesky, I. P. S. und die Wr. Medizin. Schule, 1964.



%%language
[Back to the Austrian Version|AEIOU/Semmelweis,_Ignaz_Philipp|class='wikipage austrian']
%%

[{FreezeArticle author='AEIOU' template='Lexikon_1995_englisch'}]
[{ALLOW view All}][{ALLOW comment All}][{ALLOW edit FreezeAdmin}]