Funny how Semmelweis got similarly shitty treatment for the same idea. Though he wasn’t so much as laughed at as much as beaten to death in a psych ward.
He was much earlier though and germ theory didn’t exist yet, so he couldn’t explain why washing your hands would work. It didn’t make any sense based on the medical ideas of the time, so people saw his recommendation to wash hands as a superstition. Then he went insane as doctors continued to not wash their hands, resulting in many mothers dying from infections after birth. At least with Lister, he could explain his rationale via germ theory.
It’s especially sad because he had empirical evidence washing his hands worked! New birth death rates dropped and when he eventually opened his own practice death rates were the lowest ever seen. Though he got bitter and angry towards the end which lead to being put in the psych ward. Honestly though, if you knew people were killing babies by negligence and were an empathetic person you’d probably end up the same way regardless of who you are.
IIRC, the hand wash was a chlorine one that was pretty rough on the skin so people didn’t like to do it. Additionally to accept what he said Dr.s would have to accept they have been killing babies this whole time. I believe one Dr. Agreed with Sammelwise and killed himself because that knowledge haunted him so.
Funny how Semmelweis got similarly shitty treatment for the same idea. Though he wasn’t so much as laughed at as much as beaten to death in a psych ward.
Didn’t know at all about Semmelweis. Very interesting… and sad.
He really deserved better. Societal momentum is tough to go against, and can easily beat one down… oftentimes literally.
He was much earlier though and germ theory didn’t exist yet, so he couldn’t explain why washing your hands would work. It didn’t make any sense based on the medical ideas of the time, so people saw his recommendation to wash hands as a superstition. Then he went insane as doctors continued to not wash their hands, resulting in many mothers dying from infections after birth. At least with Lister, he could explain his rationale via germ theory.
It’s especially sad because he had empirical evidence washing his hands worked! New birth death rates dropped and when he eventually opened his own practice death rates were the lowest ever seen. Though he got bitter and angry towards the end which lead to being put in the psych ward. Honestly though, if you knew people were killing babies by negligence and were an empathetic person you’d probably end up the same way regardless of who you are.
IIRC, the hand wash was a chlorine one that was pretty rough on the skin so people didn’t like to do it. Additionally to accept what he said Dr.s would have to accept they have been killing babies this whole time. I believe one Dr. Agreed with Sammelwise and killed himself because that knowledge haunted him so.