The Doctor Responsible for Introducing the Idea of Hand Washing

Question

The doctor responsible for introducing the idea of hand washing before attending patients was
A) Klein.
B) Semmelweis.
C) Koch.
D) Pasteur.
E) Galen.

Accepted Answer

The doctor responsible for introducing the idea of hand washing before attending patients was Semmelweis. He observed that the incidence of puerperal fever (a postpartum infection) among women in maternity wards was significantly higher in the ward where medical students conducted deliveries compared to the ward where midwives conducted deliveries. He traced the difference to the fact that the medical students had been conducting autopsies and had not washed their hands properly before attending to the women in labor. When the medical students were instructed to wash their hands with chlorinated lime before attending patients, the incidence of puerperal fever decreased.