Which details describe evidence that led Dr. Semmelweis to conclude that childbed fever could be prevented with handwashing? Select the two correct answers.

Question

(1 point)
Responses

Dr. Semmelweis was obsessed with finding the cause of an illness that was taking the lives of nearly a third of his patients.
Dr. Semmelweis was obsessed with finding the cause of an illness that was taking the lives of nearly a third of his patients.

Far fewer women died during home and midwife births than during hospital births.
Far fewer women died during home and midwife births than during hospital births.

Doctors at the hospital performed autopsies on women who had died in childbirth and then examined laboring women.
Doctors at the hospital performed autopsies on women who had died in childbirth and then examined laboring women.

Dr. Semmelweis, being both Hungarian and Jewish, was relegated to running the obstetrics division of the hospital.
Dr. Semmelweis, being both Hungarian and Jewish, was relegated to running the obstetrics division of the hospital.

Childbed fever caused terrible suffering that led to death within the first day after giving birth.
Childbed fever caused terrible suffering that led to death within the first day after giving birth.

Answer 1

The two correct answers that describe evidence that led Dr. Semmelweis to conclude that childbed fever could be prevented with handwashing are:

1. Far fewer women died during home and midwife births than during hospital births.
2. Doctors at the hospital performed autopsies on women who had died in childbirth and then examined laboring women.

These observations contributed to Dr. Semmelweis's hypothesis that the transmission of infectious material from autopsies to patients was a significant factor in the spread of childbed fever, leading him to advocate for handwashing as a preventive measure.