Childbed Fever Theory

Childbed fever, or puerperal fever, is a serious infection that affects women after childbirth. In the 19th century, it was commonly believed to be caused by "bad air" or miasmas. However, physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that it was often spread by doctors and medical students who did not wash their hands after examining patients. His insistence on handwashing drastically reduced infection rates, highlighting the importance of hygiene in medical practice. Today, we understand that childbed fever can result from various bacterial infections, but Semmelweis’s work laid the foundation for modern infection control practices.