Sinclair, Sir William J.: Semmelweis. His Life and his Doctrine (Manchester, 1909)
IV. Spread of the Doctrine During the Vienna Period
TILANUS, OF AMSTERDAM 77 admitted sickened, one of them died, and the other two were just saved. . . . Your communication gave me some encouragement for the first time. ... I at once introduced your method of chlorine disinfection into our institution. . . . Our hands used to smell all day long of the dissected cadaver in spite of repeated washing, but the chlorine disinfection has put an end to that. Since the introduction of your method not a single case of labour, attended either by myself or my pupils, has shown the slightest degree (gelindeste Grad) of fever with the exception of one in February. ... I therefore thank you for your communication with all my heart; you have perhaps saved our institution from destruction. ... I beg of you to greet Dr. Semmelweis on my behalf, and to offer him my thanks : he has perhaps made a great discovery. . . . You are aware that puerperal fever broke out here for the first time in 1834, ar*d that was about the time when students were required to make regular examinations of the patients. This circumstance may also have relation to the etiology. ...” Michaelis, after his experience of prophylaxis increased, began to brood over some of the deaths from puerperal fever which had occurred under his care, and he met with a tragic death at his own hands. “ I have given an account of the painful incident,” says Semmelweis, “ in order to raise a monument to his conscientiousness.” Tilanus. In an entirely friendly spirit is conceived the reply received from Tilanus of Amsterdam in 1848. The letter is interesting as throwing light on methods of practice founded on theoretical opinions now only known to the history of obstetrics. Tilanus does not yet see sufficient reason for entirely giving up the principles which have guided him in conducting a lying-in institution for twenty years. He firmly believes in the contagiousness of puerperal fever, and
