Semmelweis

Semmelweis Ignác is 18 and is in Vienna, training to become a judge-advocate, to comply with the wishes of his family. He is, however, attracted by the medical science, and joins the team of Professor Rokitanszky. He later becomes an obstetrician under the leadership of Professor Klein. This is when he is faced with the problem of post-partum fever, an enigmatic disease, which kills hundreds of women in labour, while in the neighbouring midwife institute the number of women dying under apparently similar circumstances is one quarter of that number. Semmelweis discovers the cause of the disease and the method to prevent it from being contracted. In vain is he appointed honorary lecturer following Professor Rokitanszky's recommendation. What he gets in return for his discovery is nothing but harsh criticism and malevolence. He then returns home. In Pest he gets married and carries on with his work. He writes a book. He then becomes insane and is killed by the disease that he himself has discovered. (Verleiher-Text)