Ignaz Semmelweis: người tiên phong trong kiểm soát nhiễm trùng

Ignaz Semmelweis (1818–1865) was a Hungarian physician regarded as the "savior of mothers" due to his revolutionary contributions to infection control and the prevention of postpartum infections. He is recognized for discovering the importance of hand hygiene in medicine, which helped transform maternal care worldwide.

Life and Career

Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was born on July 1, 1818, in Buda (now part of Budapest, Hungary). He studied medicine at the University of Vienna and completed his studies in 1844. In 1846, Semmelweis began working at the Vienna General Hospital, where he was responsible for overseeing the obstetrics department.

At that time, the mortality rate from puerperal fever in the hospital’s maternity ward was alarmingly high. Semmelweis observed that the death rate among women treated by doctors was significantly higher than among those cared for by midwives. After conducting investigations, he discovered that doctors often moved directly from performing autopsies to the delivery room without washing their hands, thereby transmitting infections to the patients.

In 1847, Semmelweis recommended that all doctors and medical staff wash their hands with a chlorinated lime solution before interacting with patients. This simple practice immediately reduced the mortality rate from puerperal fever from 18% to below 2%. However, his theory on hand hygiene was not accepted by the medical community at the time due to the lack of understanding about germs and infections.

Rejection and Death

Although Semmelweis's achievement saved countless mothers, his theory faced intense opposition from the medical community. His colleagues felt that his findings undermined their professional dignity, as they refused to believe they could be the source of their patients' deaths. Semmelweis endured criticism and professional isolation throughout most of his career.

Toward the end of his life, Semmelweis developed mental illness, possibly as a result of the stress and rejection he faced. In 1865, he died in a mental institution, unrecognized for his contributions. It was only after Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister validated germ theory that Semmelweis's work was finally acknowledged.

Legacy and Significance

Though rejected during his lifetime, Semmelweis is now recognized as one of the earliest pioneers in infection control. His discovery of the importance of handwashing and hygiene in medicine marked a major advancement, laying the foundation for Louis Pasteur’s germ theory and Joseph Lister’s aseptic surgical techniques.

Today, Global Handwashing Day (October 15) is held annually in honor of his contributions, and Semmelweis is remembered as a symbol of perseverance and the pursuit of truth in medical science.

References

• Nuland, S. B. (2003). The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignác Semmelweis. W.W. Norton & Company.

• Best, M., & Neuhauser, D. (2004). Ignaz Semmelweis and the birth of infection control. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13(3), 233–234.

MSc. Nguyễn Yên Hà