Could the psychological effect of women

Reference no: EM133385617

In 1847, Dr Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis upon resuming at the General Hospital Maternity Clinic in Vienna, observed that the difference in mortality of women and newborns from puerperal fever developed after childbirth between the first clinic and the second clinic was, in some cases, averagely three times higher. Although puerperal fever was common in Europe at that time, Dr Semmelweis observed that the medical explanations and other factors observed were not sufficient to explain the difference in these deaths.

He realized, after the death of a friend and colleague who was accidentally cut by a contaminated knife used for autopsy and developed the same feverish conditions observed in puerperal fever, that doctors may have been infecting women with cadaver particles at childbirth.

Dr Semmelweis advised all medical personnel in the clinic to wash their hands with chlorine liquid after conducting autopsies and other medical observations, this reduced the deaths considerably to 1.3% in 1847 from 11.4% in 1846.
His findings and conclusions were rejected by the medical community and only supported by a few doctors because they were seen to be in conflict with existing scientific theories and also suggested that doctors were responsible for the deaths by spreading puerperal fever; they did not believe something so simple as handwashing could be the solution. He was criticized, victimized, and eventually asked to leave the hospital. He detailed his findings from his research in a book a decade later, which was similarly ridiculed and rejected. Although he was determined and continued to argue his case in open letters to the opponents of his ideas, he was recognised for his findings after his death. It took decades before his idea was widespread, during this period, tens of thousands of women and newborns lost their lives.

ISSUES

The primary issue in this case is the rejection of the findings of Dr Semmelweis regarding the cause of the deaths from puerperal fever at the Vienna General Hospital. Despite proposing a simple solution, to curb the infections and deaths, his idea was rejected by the medical community, firstly because it was at odds with established scientific theories at the time and, secondly, because it also suggested doctors were causing and spreading puerperal fever, so his motives were therefore questioned.

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM
Based on the reasons of lack of scientific method that could have provided alternative measures to combating puerperal fever? Below are alternative measures that were also not considered after Dr Semmelweis had identified the problem, and obtained relevant information:
1. The reason for the overcrowding in the first clinic, which had no direct relationship between the number of admitted persons and mortality rates;
2. Could the psychological effect of women who gave birth before male doctors been a cause?
3. The reason why women who gave birth on the street were the least likely to develop childbed fever;
4. Further investigation on cause of Dr Kolletschka's death whose finger was accidentally cut with a knife that was used during an autopsy. Kolletschka developed a feverish condition with symptoms much like the ones observed with puerperal fever
5. The need for doctors to clean their hands with chlorine liquids in addition to washing their hands with soap before examining the women.

Reference no: EM133385617

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