Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (German: [ˈɪɡnaːts ˈzɛml̩vaɪs]; Hungarian: Semmelweis Ignác Fülöp [ˈsɛmmɛlvɛjs ˈiɡnaːts ˈfyløp]; 1 July 1818 – 13 ...IgnazSemmelweisFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopediaJumptonavigationJumptosearchEarlypioneerofantisepticproceduresThenativeformofthispersonalnameisSemmelweisIgnác. ThisarticleusesWesternnameorderwhenmentioningindividuals.IgnazSemmelweisDr.IgnazSemmelweis,aged42in1860copperplateengravingbyJenőDobyBornSemmelweisIgnácFülöp(1818-07-01)July1,1818Buda,KingdomofHungary(nowpartofBudapest,Hungary)DiedAugust13,1865(1865-08-13)(aged 47)Oberdöbling,AustrianEmpire(todaypartofVienna,Austria)CitizenshipKingdomofHungaryAlma materUniversityofViennaUniversityofBudapestKnown forIntroducinghanddisinfectionstandards,inobstetricalclinics,from1847ScientificcareerFieldsObstetrics,surgeriesSpouse(s)MáriaWeidenhofer​(m. 1857)​[1]Children5IgnazPhilippSemmelweis[A](German:[ˈɪɡnaːtsˈzɛml̩vaɪs];Hungarian:SemmelweisIgnácFülöp[ˈsɛmmɛlvɛjsˈiɡnaːtsˈfyløp];1July1818 –13August1865)wasaHungarianphysicianandscientist,nowknownasanearlypioneerofantisepticprocedures.Describedasthe"saviourofmothers",[2]Semmelweisdiscoveredthattheincidenceofpuerperalfever(alsoknownas"childbedfever")couldbedrasticallycutbytheuseofhanddisinfectioninobstetricalclinics.Puerperalfeverwascommoninmid-19th-centuryhospitalsandoftenfatal.Semmelweisproposedthepracticeofwashinghandswithchlorinatedlimesolutionsin1847whileworkinginViennaGeneralHospital'sFirstObstetricalClinic,wheredoctors'wardshadthreetimesthemortalityofmidwives'wards.[3]HepublishedabookofhisfindingsinEtiology,ConceptandProphylaxisofChildbedFever.Despitevariouspublicationsofresultswherehandwashingreducedmortalitytobelow1%,Semmelweis'sobservationsconflictedwiththeestablishedscientificandmedicalopinionsofthetimeandhisideaswererejectedbythemedicalcommunity.Hecouldoffernoacceptablescientificexplanationforhisfindings,andsomedoctorswereoffendedatthesuggestionthattheyshouldwashtheirhandsandmockedhimforit.In1865,theincreasinglyoutspokenSemmelwe