Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 10-11. (Budapest, 1958)
His exact scientific method, i. e. the precise analysis of the matter enabled him to keep away from the influence of the wrong cellular-pathological trend. But he was unable to fight successfully in his lifetime the erroneous natural philosophy then dominating medical science, William Tauf for therefore nightly says in his memorial speech that this circumstance „ retarded the redemption of mothers by two decades". Thus philosophy took its revenge on natural science when researchers leaving the ground of facts ventured on the swamp of speculation. The other question which one should stress in connection with Semmelweis' life is the question of driving force. What was the force that transformed Semmelweis in the merry imperial capital in a short time from a modest young, and somehow jolly man off nice manners into a morose, always brooding, ambittered and later even aggressive man? This force was the puerperal fever which destroyed mases of young mothers put into his care. It was the epidemically spreading puerperal fever, the number of whose victims simetimes reached 30 p. c. that was driving Semmelweis and was forcing him into a bitter struggle and did nol leave him in peace until he could find the cause of the evil. Tibor Gyóry in one of his reminiscences records Semmelweis' return to Budapest, „He spent on of his evenings in Pesth in a larger company of physicians. On account of his presence conversation soon turned towards puerperal fever when the fact was stressed that in the maternity ward of St. Roch Hospital the epidemic of puerperal fever had just then again appeared. Soon after this conversation Semmelweis made an application in order to become the head of this particular maternity ward." We may read in his application among others the following sentences: „Honourable Imperial and Royal Counsellor and Ministerial Commissioner! In the conviction that a modest ond simple request, motivated not in the least by material considerations but by the interest of science and of suffering people, will be received with favour I beg to ask you humbly: kindly to put materni+y ward of St. Roch City Hospital in my charge."
