The surprising history of hand-washing - BBC REEL

Until the mid-1800s, doctors didn’t wash their hands. They believed diseases were spread by bad smells.

This is the story of doctor Ignaz Semmelweis, who in the 19th Century fought to convince his fellow doctors that washing their hands could save patients’ lives. But despite the success of his theory, he met a tragic end.

Video by Fernando Teixeira & Izabela Cardoso
Executive Producer: Camelia Sadeghzadeh

#bbcreel #bbc #bbcnews

[ascii]

When knowledge is scarce you could be Semmelweis or you could be the doctors arguing that bad smells are the problem.

[JegesCaverMedve]

Ignaz Semmelweis in Hungary in Budapest a big Health Center with lot's of clinics healing and researching in various way in medicine world, this big clinics name is SOTE ( Semmelweis Orvostudományi Egyetem - Semmelweis Health science University ), and next to the center the Underground Metro line 3 have a station names is Semmelweis Clinics...
In Hungary a sentences say the people about Ignaz Semmelweis :
The man who save the mothers...

The big sad about his life, he was died in a psyhatric class in a hospital...

[dr.florence]

It's mind-boggling to me how little people have washed their hands pre-pandemic. I wash my hands after I come home BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING ELSE, when my dog licks my hands, when I touch my outdoor stuff like keys...

[HARE]

It’s sad and scary how ignorance and fear have persisted throughout the ages.
Sadder still, and more scary, that harm from ignorance and fear affect those who are not ignorant or fearful.

[gbh_events]

Semelweis (named "The Savior Of Mothers") was lured into an insane asylum by his colleagues where he was beaten and tortured, and died after two weeks. That's what happens when you go up against the medical establishment.

[terryallen]

"Fighting to stay ignorant."
And I might add: Proudly and sometimes militantly.
I hope we find a vaccine for that someday...

[adnanzafar]

Religious men wash hands and feet five times a day.

[shamsimam]

Our Prophet Muhammad told us about cleanliness 1400 years ago and he stated that "Cleaning is half of you faith" emphasizing how important it is.

[kanjitard]

I already feel nostalgic about this topic

[bcpjw]

I’m gonna wash my hands and phone after this comment

[realcyrusjohn]

Surprising doctors did not wash their hands before surgery.

[frugalmum]

Indoor plumbing with chemically treated water was not available either.

[Kintabl]

The real moral of the story is that medical community attack him the most. Because the consensus in medicine was different of what is causing illnesses. Where else we hear the 97% of scientist agree on.... ? People wrongly assume that mainstream/established science is what drives progress forward. The biggest breakthroughs are from the people who have ''crazy'' ideas and are constantly attacked and despised by established science.
There is many examples even today.

[andrewbrinkman]

Following the science doesn’t always lead to ground breaking discoveries. Prior, the established science did not, on majority, wash their hands. You can only explain extreme frustration when the results were swell yet undercut by the majority

[srqpdq]

Un-ironically ignores Terrain Theory and the benefits to the immune system of exposure to bacteria. Crazy times.

[philosophera]

Words of wisdom for today alternative treatment or natural immunity being rejected why?

[Crustycats]

I have to nag my family to wash their hands

[kobusg]

Click-bait headline, or mis-worded headline?

[scmable]

The title is very misleading. Conspiracy theorists are going to quote this thumbnail .

[hoodhustler]

And Egyptians the real true black Egyptians where doing that for thousands of years earlier