Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 46-47. (Budapest, 1968)

TANULMÁNYOK - Fekete Sándor: Semmelweis felfedezése, Gordon és Holmes nézetei a gyermekágyi lázról

[15] Lásd fentebb. [16] Arneth : Paper read before the National Academy of Medicine. Annals of Hygiene LXV köt. 2 rész. [17] Sinclair, W. J. : Semmelweis his life and his doctrine. Manchester, 1909. 355.1. [18] De Lee, J. B. : The principles and practice of obstetrics. Philadelphia, 1921. [19] Döderlein: Handbuch der Geburtshilfe. München—Wiesbaden, 1920. 258. 1. [20] Beruti, J, A, : La etiologia y la profilaxis de la fièvre puerperal ante la verdad historica. Buenos-Aires, 1947. 60—61. I. SUMMARY Alexander Gordon, Scotch obstetrician, edited a book in 1795: "A Treatise on the Epidemic Puerperal Fever of Aberdeen". He writes in his work that in his opinion he succeeded in finding such effectual therapy which was successful, if it was applied early enough. This method of treatment consisted of venesection and purgation. "Only,, 28 of his 77 patients died and this fact certificates that he had better results than other medical practitioners. In his opinion this illness is of inflammatory origin and if it isn't treated, turns into putrid fever and in this condition it isn't treatable. Gordon was a keen observer and concluded well, when he stated that the puerperal fever isn't caused by atmospherical makings but is spread by certain physicians and nurses. But this scintilla of truth is far from Semmelweis' statement, evidence and successful prophylaxis! Oliver Wendell Holmes, anatomist in Boston, wrote treatises on the puerperal fever and in his works he declared only parts of truth and he made this on the basis of the observations of others. A superficial reader could identify lightly the concept of "private pestilence" reviewed by Holmes with the substance of Semmelweis' theory and this would be a very great mistake. Semmelweis exposed his theory and practice in its completeness referred to the aetiology of the puerperal fever and verified by documentary evidence the Tightness of his theory, namely that the puerperal fever is a sort of pyaemia, the producing cause of the disease is "the cadaveric poison" (decomposed organic substances) and its carrying over can be avoided by washing the hands in a solution of chlorine and by the use of a nail-brush. In the declarations of Holmes these facts aren't mentioned. He pointed out only the part of the physicians in the spreading of the infection. He didn't deal with the examination of the aetiology of the puerperal fever and his instructions proved insufficient referring to the prophylaxis. But it is due to him that he waked the medical public opinion from its letargy, its resignation and accepted the unsparing criticism on the part of Meigs and Hodge. Holmes was aware of Semmelweis' results already in 1855 but left these but consideration. 3 Orvostörténeti Közi.