Semmelweis

American  

[zem-uhl-vahys] / ˈzɛm əlˌvaɪs /

noun

1. Ignaz Philipp 1818–65, Hungarian obstetrician.

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Semmelweis British  

/ ˈsɛməlˌvaɪs /

noun

1. Ignaz Philipp. 1818–65, Hungarian obstetrician, who discovered the cause of puerperal infection and pioneered the use of antiseptics

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Semmelweis Scientific  

/ zĕm′əl-vīs′ /

1. Hungarian physician who was a pioneer of sterile surgical practices. He proved that infectious disease and death in the obstetric clinic were caused by medical students going directly from performing autopsies to treating patients. Semmelweis instituted strict rules governing hygiene that dramatically reduced the mortality rate.

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