Sinclair, Sir William J.: Semmelweis. His Life and his Doctrine (Manchester, 1909)
V. Life in Buda-Pesth
178 LITZMANN has certainly some resemblance to pyaemia, but it assumes many other forms; it was to be regretted that such questions as the sources, the nature, and the effects of cadaveric material had been studied with such Indifferentismus !” Semmelweis replied that in order to answer all Levy’s questions it would have been necessary to make experiments upon the patients : “We would rather know less, and preserve the health of our patients more.” This correspondence with Professor Levy, which receives so much attention, is absolutely of no importance or interest except as illustrating once more the outrages upon his feelings to which Semmelweis was subjected by official superior persons who had ceased to learn, and so many of whom appear to have occupied the Chairs of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at that time. We can imagine the enthusiast in the cause of humanity looking across Europe from its educated margin for signs of the spread of his life-saving and eternally true Doctrine, and from an obscure mediocrity, to whom has been mistakenly attributed undue importance, comes the arrogant accusation of Indifferentismus and inefficiency in applying methods of investigation ! Litzmann. Among the professors to whom Semmelweis applied for some account of their experience was Litzmann, the successor of Michaelis at Kiel. It should be remembered that Carl Braun had repeatedly quoted the authority of Litzmann, and erroneously attributed to him the first introduction of chlorine disinfection into midwifery practice in Europe; and we may assume that Litzmann had already formed some preconceptions corresponding to those of Carl Braun, and therefore was not favourable to Semmelweis. Litzmann’s letter is only worth quoting as a monumental piece of self-satisfaction. With regard to puerperal fever he had been more fortunate than his predecessor. “ My assistants must not take any direct part in post-mortem examinations, and the students must observe the well-
