Trivia: What did Ignaz Semmelweis and Joseph Lister have in common?

Ignaz Semmelweis:

In the mid-19th century, Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician, made a groundbreaking discovery while working at the Vienna General Hospital. He observed that the incidence of puerperal fever (childbed fever) among new mothers was alarmingly high in one of the hospital’s maternity wards. Semmelweis noticed that doctors often moved from autopsies to examining patients without washing their hands. He hypothesized that some “cadaverous particles” were being transferred to the patients, causing the infections.

To test his theory, Semmelweis introduced a policy requiring doctors to wash their hands with a chlorinated lime solution before examining patients. The results were astonishing: the mortality rate in the maternity ward dropped significantly. Despite facing resistance from the medical community, Semmelweis’s work laid the foundation for modern antiseptic practices.

Joseph Lister:

A few decades later, Joseph Lister, a Scottish surgeon, further advanced the field of antiseptic surgery. Influenced by Louis Pasteur’s germ theory, Lister recognized that microorganisms were responsible for infections. In 1867, he introduced the use of carbolic acid (phenol) to sterilize surgical instruments and clean wounds. This included the practice of washing hands before surgeries.

Lister’s methods dramatically reduced post-operative infections and revolutionized surgical practices. His work demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining a sterile environment in medical settings, saving countless lives and paving the way for modern surgical techniques.

And thus began the practice of washing your hands. It’s something I don’t take lightly. That’s why I spent so much time researching, testing, and perfecting my formulas.

You can be sure that Soap By Sellers will protect you from those nasty germs.