Watch CBS News

The pioneering doctor behind hand-washing

In the mid-19th century, after studying the mortality rates at hospital wards, Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis determined that proper hand hygiene could make all the difference between life and death — and his ideas were rejected. Lee Cowan reports.
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.