122: Ignaz Semmelweis: The Savior of Mothers

Description

Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian doctor who made the revolutionary discovery that handwashing saves lives. However, his research results were rejected by the medical community. Learn how he persisted in his fight to mandate sterilizing handwashing techniques to reduce maternal deaths in childbirth.

*CONTENT WARNING*

This episodes contains discussion of death in childbirth, as well as infant mortality. Please take care of yourself while listening.

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Sources:

“Life of Ignác Semmelweis”

http://semmelweis200.hu/english/life-of-ignac-semmelweis/

“Ignaz Semmelweis” by Imre Zoltán (updated Aug 9 2025)

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ignaz-Semmelweis

“Ignaz Semmelweis: The Saviour of Mothers” by Katrina Johnson (Aug 20 2022)

https://museumofhealthcare.blog/ignaz-semmelweis-the-saviour-of-mothers/

“Ignaz Semmelweis: ‘The Savior of Mothers’ on the 200th Anniversary of the Birth” by Nicholas Kadar, Roberto Romero, and Zoltán Papp (Dec 1 2019) for the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 219(6), pp 519-522. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2018.10.036

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6333090/

“In 1850, Ignaz Semmelweis saved lives with three words: wash your hands” by Dr. Howard Markel (May 15 2015)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/ignaz-semmelweis-doctor-prescribed-hand-washing

“The Doctor Who Championed Hand-Washing And Briefly Saved Lives” by Rebecca Davis for NPR (Jan 12 2015)

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/01/12/375663920/the-doctor-who-championed-hand-washing-and-saved-women-s-lives

“Ignaz Semmelweis” by Sam Wong

https://www.newscientist.com/people/ignaz-semmelweis/

“Ignaz Semmelweis: How One Doctor’s Radical Ideas Transformed Hygiene in Medicine” by Arthur Marquis (Feb 2 2025)

https://scientificorigin.com/ignaz-semmelweis-how-one-doctors-radical-ideas-transformed-hygiene-in-medicine

“Ignaz Semmelweis 1818-1865”

https://semmelweisinstitute.ac.at/mission/ignaz-semmelweis/

“Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis (1818-1865)”