Ignaz Semmelweis, the doctor who discovered the disease-fighting power of hand-washing in 1847
- Written by Leslie S. Leighton, Visiting Lecturer of History, Georgia State University
A simple, low-tech way to get rid of germs. FatCamera/E+ via Getty ImagesOne of the front-line defenses individuals have against the spread of the coronavirus can feel decidedly low-tech: hand-washing.
In fact, it was 19th-century Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis who, after observational studies, first advanced the idea of “hand...