In what year did Semmelweis begin to enforce handwashing with chlorinated water after studying death rates after childbirth?

Study for the WJEC GCSE History of Medicine Test. Engage with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question providing hints and explanations. Prepare for your exam effectively!

Multiple Choice

In what year did Semmelweis begin to enforce handwashing with chlorinated water after studying death rates after childbirth?

Explanation:
This question tests when Semmelweis started enforcing handwashing to curb deaths from puerperal fever. He observed that lower mortality occurred in a ward staffed by midwives who did not perform autopsies, while a physician-staffed clinic with autopsy work had much higher death rates. Believing contamination from cadavers caused the infections, he introduced a policy of washing hands and instruments in a chlorinated lime solution before examining patients. This change began in 1847, and after enforcing it, mortality dropped dramatically, providing clear early evidence that cleanliness could prevent infection. The other years don’t fit because they don’t mark the point at which he implemented this practice.

This question tests when Semmelweis started enforcing handwashing to curb deaths from puerperal fever. He observed that lower mortality occurred in a ward staffed by midwives who did not perform autopsies, while a physician-staffed clinic with autopsy work had much higher death rates. Believing contamination from cadavers caused the infections, he introduced a policy of washing hands and instruments in a chlorinated lime solution before examining patients. This change began in 1847, and after enforcing it, mortality dropped dramatically, providing clear early evidence that cleanliness could prevent infection. The other years don’t fit because they don’t mark the point at which he implemented this practice.

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