Etiology, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever
medical book by Ignaz Semmelweis
Etiology, Concept and Prophylaxis of Childbed Fever (German: Die Ätiologie, der Begriff und die Prophylaxe des Kindbettfiebers) is a medical book by Ignaz Semmelweis. It was published in 1861. In the book, Semmelweis explains how hygiene in hospitals can drastically reduce deaths. The book and concept saved millions of mothers from a preventable, streptococcal infection. After the publication of the book, staff in many hospitals were required to regularly wash their hands. Childbed fever is a bacterial infection, if the staff wash their hands, they spread less bacteria.
