Why Hungarian physician, invented the prevention of coronavirus, died in a mental hospital

Once the Hungarian surgeon-obstetrician Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis noticed that in one of the branches of its maternity hospitals the mortality rate among female patients was significantly higher than in the other. Comparing the facts, the doctor made a discovery, which is used by physicians worldwide for the past half century and today is considered the only effective means of prevention of coronavirus.

It was 1847 and a maternity hospital in Vienna, where he worked as Dr. Semmelweis, was no perceptible hospital, where the woman periodically was dying from childbirth, and newborns from sepsis. In the XIX century it was a necessary evil and if not for the observation of the surgeon-obstetrician, all it would have going on as usual.

Doctor of medicine Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis

But Ignaz Semmelweis was a real fan of his case and carefully led the statistics of all complications seen in the mothers and babies. The doctor took quite a bit of time to notice that in the first compartment women and children die more often than in the second.

Determining the cause of increased mortality has become a matter of honor for inquiring the doctor and he soon found what he was looking for. It turned out that in the first part pass practice students of medical University, which are often to help to take delivery of the anatomical theatre of the hospital where no soul.

It was easy to see that the students bring with them a kind of a dangerous infection that kills mothers and babies. In may 1847 Semmelweis demanded that all who enter the delivery room, carefully washed his hands in a weak bleach solution. This measure immediately showed its effectiveness and the mortality rate in the office immediately fell from 18.27 % to 1.27 %.

So in the time of Semmelweis took delivery: no white coats and sterile gloves

Disinfection helped to achieve unheard of results. There were months when the maternity hospital of Semmelweis died not no woman! Of course, the doctor wanted to share his discovery that could save thousands of lives. But, as so often happened with brilliant finds, the method of the surgeon's perceived hostility.

Ignaz Semmelweis became a target for critics and pranksters, and the chief doctor of the hospital forbade him to publish statistics on reduction in deaths after the beginning of the antiseptic treatment of hands. Later, under pressure from the medical community, hospital management generally dismissed the doctor, despite his obvious innocence.

In spite of persecution, Semmelweis did not lose heart and decided to devote himself to educational activities. The doctor left his native Budapest and engaged in the promotion of asepsis. He has written several scientific papers and regularly lectured as to the students and at major medical conferences.

Semmelweis was able to protect his patients from infection and personally saved hundreds of lives

Unfortunately, the pressure on Semmelweis and his followers every year only intensified. Although the effectiveness of disinfection has been proven by the statistics in the Austrian Empire continued to ignore the method of Dr and death from childbirth continued.

One of the most loyal supporters of Ignaz Semmelweis, a German surgeon Gustav Michaelis despondent and committed suicide. The impetus for this was the death from sepsis of a loved one, which is guaranteed to be avoided by observing the simple rules of disinfection.

Trouble came to the founder of modern asepsis. A colleague of Semmelweis and his family doctor jános Balassa went to the meanness at the instigation of the enemies of a progressive obstetrician concocted document of his insanity. According to this paper of the doctor could be sent for compulsory treatment in a psychiatric hospital, which was done.

The Vienna clinic where he worked as a doctor

To avoid unnecessary noise, Semmelweis asked to inspect mental hospital in Döbling, near Vienna. As soon as the doctor crossed the threshold of the hospital, he was assaulted by nurses and dressed in a straitjacket.

Accused of madness the doctor locked in a dark room and was treated by laxative and pouring ice water. No longer young Semmelweis could not stand bullying and in two weeks died. However, some believe that he was beaten to death orderlies of the hospital, taking orders from longtime opponents of the shrew doctor.

After the death of Ignaz Semmelweis on his method no one remembered nearly two decades. Now it is impossible to calculate how many lives claimed the infection during this period of time. But progress is inevitable, as much as he resisted, and eventually a set of measures called asepsis, has been recognized by physicians around the world.

Monuments to the Ignaz Semmelweis in many cities of Europe

Today, the disinfection of hands and items of frequent use is one of the main methods of combating coronavirus. Epidemiologists are convinced that thorough hand-washing and treatment of them with antiseptics, and the use of protective gloves in public areas reduces the likelihood of getting sick many times.

So it's safe to say that Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, who died for his progressive beliefs in 1865, may well be considered the Creator of the means of coronavirus, is the only one that actually works.

In medicine it has often happened that the most bizarre and crazy ideas were the only correct solution to the problem. A brilliant surgeon Nicholas Senn, blew his patients with hydrogen, also were not immediately understood by colleagues.