Germ Theory

In the 1800s when Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis mandated that all of his medical staff start washing their hands with a chlorine solution, the rate of childbed fever deaths fell dramatically.

This supported his theory that what he called “death particles” from physicians performing autopsies — later known as germs —were one of the primary causes of childbed fever.

Instead of being praised for his life-saving efforts, doctors ridiculed Semmelweis — in many cases taking personal offense, feeling directly accused of giving childbed fever.

Eventually, doctors stopped washing their hands and Semmelweis was fired.

This is a cautionary tale of how emotion and ego can overshadow reason.

There is a difference between taking pride in being right and taking pride in finding the truth.

For everyone’s sake, we should care about the latter.