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Review
. 2013 Mar 1;14(1):35-9.
doi: 10.5152/jtgga.2013.08. eCollection 2013.

Medicine in stamps-Ignaz Semmelweis and Puerperal Fever

Ahmet Doğan Ataman  1 , Emine Elif Vatanoğlu-Lutz  2 , Gazi Yıldırım  3
Affiliations
Review

Medicine in stamps-Ignaz Semmelweis and Puerperal Fever

Ahmet Doğan Ataman et al. J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc. .

Abstract
in English, Turkish

Puerperal fever was common in mid-19(th)-century hospitals and often fatal, with mortality at 10%-35%. Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis was a Hungarian gynecologist who is known as a pioneer of antiseptic procedures. Semmelweis discovered that the incidence of puerperal fever could be drastically cut by the use of hand disinfection in obstetrical clinics. He is also described as the "savior of mothers" and "father of infection control". This paper provides an overview on the process of preventing puerperal fever and the life story of the physician behind this attempt, Ignaz Semmelweis, through philately.

19. yüzyıl ortalarında, hastanelerde lohusalık humması oldukça sık görülen, %10–35 arasındaki ölüm oranlarıyla genellikle fatal seyreden bir hastalıktı. Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, antiseptik uygulamaların öncüsü olarak bilinen Macar jinekologtur ve jinekoloji kliniklerinde el dezenfeksiyonunun sağlanmasıyla birlikte lohusalık humması oranlarının düşürülebileceğini keşfetmiştir. Kendisi aynı zamanda “annelerin kurtarıcısı” ve “enfeksiyon kontrolünün babası” olarak da tanınır. Bu çalışma,filateli aracılığıyla lohusalık hummasının önlenmesi sürecine ve bu sirecin arkasındaki hekim olan Ignaz Semmelweis’ın hayatına genel bir bakış sunmayı hedeflemektedir.

Keywords: Ignaz Semmelweis; history; infection; philately; puerperal fever.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Semmelweis from the German series of welfare, which was issued in 1956
Figure 2
Figure 2
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in Austria in 1965
Figure 3
Figure 3
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in East Germany in 1965
Figure 4
Figure 4
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in Hungary in 1960
Figure 5
Figure 5
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in Transkei in 1992
Figure 6
Figure 6
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in Hungary in 1965
Figure 7
Figure 7
A stamp showing Semmelweis issued in Grenada in 1973
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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