What first prompted health care providers to implement hand antisepsis practices?

Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian physician working in Vienna in the 1840s, is widely regarded as the pioneer in implementing hand antiseptic practices. Semmelweis noticed that the mortality rate among women giving birth in the maternity hospital was much higher than in the midwife-led clinic. He hypothesized that something in the hospital environment was causing the high death rate, and he believed that it was spread by the hands of the doctors and nurses.

To test his hypothesis, Semmelweis introduced a mandatory handwashing protocol using a chlorine solution. He instructed doctors and nurses to wash their hands with the chlorinated solution before examining each patient. As a result, the mortality rate in the maternity hospital dropped dramatically, supporting his theory.

Semmelweis's findings and recommendations were initially met with resistance from his colleagues, who were skeptical of the idea that their hands could be the source of infection. However, over time, the importance of hand hygiene gained recognition, and handwashing practices became an essential component of infection prevention measures in healthcare settings.