Sinclair, Sir William J.: Semmelweis. His Life and his Doctrine (Manchester, 1909)
IV. Spread of the Doctrine During the Vienna Period
HEBRA’S FIRST ARTICLE 65 like all the young and active supporters of Semmelweis, was disgusted with the unworthy conduct of Klein, and he resolved to carry matters beyond the stage of mere gossiping discussion among professional coteries in the General Hospital and elsewhere. So Hebra wrote an article which appeared in December, iS'47, in the Zeitschrift der k. k. Gesellschaft der Aerzte zu Wien. That article is so important historically that it is here given in full. EXPERIENCE OF THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE CONCERNING THE ETIOLOGY OF EPIDEMIC PUERPERAL FEVER AT THE LYING-IN HOSPITAL. “ The Editor of this Journal feels it is his duty to communicate to the medical profession, in view of the prevalence of puerperal fever in all lying-in hospitals, the following observations made by Dr. Semmelweis, Assistant in the First Obstetric Clinic in the General Hospital of this city. Dr. Semmelweis, who has been already for five years at the hospital, has become thoroughly instructed at the dissecting table as well as at the beds of the patients in the various branches of the healing art. For the last two years he has devoted special attention to the subject of midwifery, and has undertaken the task of inquiring into the causes which lie at the basis of the prevailing epidemic puerperal processes. On this subject nothing has been left untested, and everything which could exercise an injurious influence has been carefully removed. By daily visits to an institution of pathology and anatomy Dr. Semmelweis had learnt what were the injurious influences which were produced by filthy and putrid fluids upon even unwounded portions of the body of individuals engaged in post-mortem examinations. These observations aroused in him the thought, that perhaps in lying-in hospitals the pregnant and parturient patients might be inoculated by the accoucheur himself, anu that puerperal fever F
