In 1847, a Hungarian obstetrician by the name of Ignaz P. Semmelweiss showed that hand washing greatly reduced infections in newborns. Dr. Semmelweiss attempted to promote hand washing and cleanliness among his colleagues, who were so offended that they committed him to an insane asylum.
That was 150 years ago and times have changed. Semmelweiss’s claims have been proven true many times over, and it is now a well-known fact that indeed, hand washing greatly reduces the spread of disease. The importance of hand washing is preached to school children everywhere and 95% of people claim to practice proper hand hygiene.
