In 1847, physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that he could drastically reduce the mortality rates of new mothers by having doctors in the delivery ward wash their hands with antiseptics.

The problem?

Other physicians, including those at the Viennese hospital where Semmelweis worked, didn't believe in handwashing. (Louis Pasteur's germ theory didn't emerge until 1861.)

Scientific breakthroughs have a long history of slamming into barbed wire fences of skepticism and orthodoxy - even without implying that doctors' lack of hygiene is causing patient deaths.

Semmelweis alienated rivals and allies alike with an abrasive personality, confrontational writing, and refusal to document or test his findings in ways that might persuade them.

He eventually left Vienna for Budapest where he could implement antiseptics in hospital wards he controlled.

Even though he was right, the problem went unsolved, and patients continued to die.

Takeaways

Semmelweis's story has a lesson for anyone trying to do something valuable but encountering resistance:

It doesn't matter how valuable your work is.
It doesn't matter if you're right and your opponents are demonstrably wrong.

If you can't get the right people to listen, you'll still fail.

Don't be like Semmelweis.

Make your ideas heard. Overcome resistance through collaboration, kindness, and respect.

Put your ego aside and replace it with the extra work you need to win people to your side.

When Being Right Isn’t Enough: The Story of Ignaz Semmelweis

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