Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 194-195. (Budapest, 2006)

TANULMÁNYOK — ARTICLES - HÄNNINEN, O. - FARAGÓ, Mária - MONOS, Emil: Semmelweis ' Discovery and Its Finnish Follow-Up

elected to serve as new director of the Âbo Svenska Theatre in 1969. The Semmelweisdrama was his First piece there, and he himself presented the role of Semmelweis. One of the personages of this drama - a patient - was taken by force to the clinic of professor Klein, although she pleaded to be transferred to Semmelweis' ward. This role was performed by Cita Örndahl (16). In Norway, the premier was later in 1969, and then very soon also in Sweden and Denmark. In Norway and Denmark the critics considered that Bjorneboe's Semmelweis was next best after Peer Gynth. The piece was translated into English (2). Jens Bjórneboe Jens Bjorneboe's father was a ship owner. Due to his strong social criticism, young Jens was fired from school and later from other schools. So at the age of 16 Jens left for the sea. After three years he came back - to the funeral of his farther. During the German occupation of Norway he lived in Sweden. Bjorneboe's first literary Works were published only in the 1950-ies. Bjorneboe's philosophy and literary career was pointed against the accepted rigid norms of the society. He lived a hard life as a seriously disturbed personality, but he never gave up his principles. He was one of the most talented Norwegian journalists and authors. He wrote novels, poetry, essays and plays for theatre. Among the most successful ones Congratulations, Amputation and Semmelweis should be mentioned. Between 1966-1973, he wrote his famous trilogy on the history of animalism which started with. Frihetens öyeblikk and which was followed by Kruttarnet and Stillheten. In these books the author claimed his demand agarost cruelty of the history. The opinions of young Jens, and of the mature author of his later works are in a way spiritually related to Ignác Semmelweis' life and work (2). To Conclude Today one can scarcely comprehend why was hand washing with sterilizing fluids so strongly opposed one and a half century ago. Furthermore, it is difficult to understand that clear statistics presented by Semmelweis in favor of effective hand washing was not taken seriously. Although, the ability of skin to resist streptococci on one hand, and the great sensitivity of mucous membranes and wounds to these bacteria on the other hand even today is rather mysterious. Semmelweis clearly documented that medical students and staff transmitted the infection from the autopsies to the wards where mothers died of puerperal fever, but they themselves usually did not become infected. Jews have respected hygiene and careful hand washing for thousands of years. In the Middle Ages, they were accused for witchcraft and for polluting waters, as their own mortality rate was substantially lower than that of other nationalities (12). Semmelweis, as Lister a few decades later, had to live in the tempest of the incomprehension. Both Semmelweis and Lister had difficulties in communicating with their own colleagues who were the heaviest opponents against the progress of their own profession even if the new innovations so clearly saved patients. Perhaps Semmelweis postponed publishing his innovative results due to his deep respect to his Professor, until it became senseless since public discussions had been started by other professors. In contrast to Semmelweis, Lister was lucky to live so long that his ideas were