IgnazSemmelweisSectionsArticleIntroduction&QuickFactsMediaImagesAdditionalInfoAdditionalReadingMoreArticlesOnThisTopicContributorsArticleHistoryHomeHealth&MedicineMedicinePhysiciansIgnazSemmelweisGerman-HungarianphysicianPrintCiteverifiedCiteWhileeveryefforthasbeenmadetofollowcitationstylerules,theremaybesomediscrepancies.Pleaserefertotheappropriatestylemanualorothersourcesifyouhaveanyquestions.SelectCitationStyleMLAAPAChicagoManualofStyleCopyCitationShareShareSharetosocialmediaFacebookTwitterURLhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Ignaz-SemmelweisMoreGiveFeedbackExternalWebsitesFeedbackCorrections?Updates?Omissions?Letusknowifyouhavesuggestionstoimprovethisarticle(requireslogin).FeedbackTypeSelectatype(Required)FactualCorrectionSpelling/GrammarCorrectionLinkCorrectionAdditionalInformationOtherYourFeedbackSubmitFeedbackThankyouforyourfeedbackOureditorswillreviewwhatyou’vesubmittedanddeterminewhethertorevisethearticle.JoinBritannica'sPublishingPartnerProgramandourcommunityofexpertstogainaglobalaudienceforyourwork!ExternalWebsitesTheHistoryLearningSite-BiographyofIgnazSemmelweisBritannicaWebsitesArticlesfromBritannicaEncyclopediasforelementaryandhighschoolstudents.IgnazSemmelweis-StudentEncyclopedia(Ages11andup)WRITTENBYImreZoltánFormerProfessorofGynecologyandObstetrics,SemmelweisMedicalUniversity,Budapest,Hungary.CoauthorofSemmelweiséleteésmunkássága.SeeArticleHistoryAlternativeTitles:IgnácFülöpSemmelweis,IgnazPhilippSemmelweisIgnazSemmelweis,infullIgnazPhilippSemmelweisorHungarianIgnácFülöpSemmelweis,(bornJuly1,1818,Buda,Hungary,AustrianEmpire[nowBudapest,Hungary]—diedAugust13,1865,Vienna,Austria),Hungarianphysicianwhodiscoveredthecauseofpuerperal(childbed)feverandintroducedantisepsisintomedicalpractice.EducatedattheuniversitiesofPestandVienna,Semmelweisreceivedhisdoctor’sdegreefromViennain1844andwasappointedassistantattheobstetricclinicinVienna.Hesoonbecameinvolvedintheproblemofpuerperalinfection,thescourgeofmaternityhospitalsthroughoutEurope.Althoughmostwomendeliv