In the 18th century, a disease spread across Europe, which eventually made its way to America, called Puerperal Fever (or Black Death of Childbed).
Women who were giving birth, were found dead within 48 to 72 hours after giving birth.
Simply put, Puerperal fever is a disease that occurs due to bacterial infection in the uterine tract of women after giving birth or undergoing an abortion.
This Black Death of Childbed was the ravage of Europe and was getting worse day in and day out over the course of the century.
Doctors and Scientists wanted to study the reason behind this death and consequently, they would study the corpses of the women who had died in the morning and in the afternoon, they would deliver the babies and finish their rounds.
It wasn’t until in the mid 1800s that Oliver Wendell Holmes realized these doctors who were conducting autopsies, weren’t washing their hands before delivering babies in the afternoon.
He said the doctors were the reason behind this problem and backed it up with his observation of doctors, not washing their hands before delivering babies.
The doctors ignored his reasoning, for 30 LONG YEARS.
Until, somebody realized that if they simply washed their hands, it would go away and that’s exactly what happened.
Finally, when they started sterilizng their instruments and washing their hands thoroughly, the black death of childbed disappeared eventually.
Sometimes, WE are the problem in a given situation. If WE are open to listening (forget about implementing), a lot issues would have been solved.
Ignorance is bliss… until the reality hits.
If following an advice does no harm in the long run, economically or personally, why not give it a shot?
~ Adios
P.S: You can read more about Oliver Wendell Holmes over here!
Mischief Managed 