Chapter 05 of 5
The Germ of Truth
A lonely death, a vindication that came too late, and why we still talk about him.
- The Trap
A visit to Vienna
On 30 July 1865 his old friend Ferdinand von Hebra took him to a building in Vienna, saying it was a new institute. It was an asylum.
- The Struggle
He tried to leave
When Semmelweis realised and tried to leave, guards beat him, put him in a straitjacket and locked him in a dark cell.
- The Wound
An infected hand
A wound on his hand, possibly from the struggle, became badly infected. Within two weeks the infection had spread through his body.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
What did germ theory provide that Semmelweis had lacked?
🧼 The Doctor Who Said Wash Your Hands
- 01The Two ClinicsWhy giving birth in one Vienna ward was far deadlier than in the ward next door.
- 02A Fatal CutA friend's death in the dissecting room revealed what doctors were carrying.
- 03Chlorine and SilenceThe handwashing rule that saved hundreds, and the doctors who refused to believe it.
- 04Calling Them MurderersA long-awaited book, a cold reception and a series of furious open letters.
- 05The Germ of TruthA lonely death, a vindication that came too late, and why we still talk about him.