Shop Viral Toys & Games Now

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

  1. Genius Belabored: Childbed Fever and the Tragic Life of Ignaz Semmelweis
    Genius Belabored: Childbed Fever and the Tragic Life of Ignaz Semmelweis
    4.527
    $12.99
  2. Childbed Fever: A Scientific Biography of Ignaz Semmelweis
    Childbed Fever: A Scientific Biography of Ignaz Semmelweis
    4.110
    $35.73
  3. Lavoisier in the Year One: The Birth of a New Science in an Age of Revolution (Great Discoveries)
    Lavoisier in the Year One: The Birth of a New Science in an Age of Revolution (Great Discoveries)
    4.333
    $9.98
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows.
Buy New
$15.95
FREE delivery Saturday, July 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$15.95
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE delivery Saturday, July 18 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, July 14. Order within 2 hrs 11 mins. Join Prime
In Stock
$$15.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.95
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Shipper / Seller
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Shipper / Seller
Amazon.com
Returns
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
FREE 30-day refund/replacement
Quick refund
Usually issued within 24 hours. See exceptions
FREE return
At least one free return option available.
Convenient dropoff
At any of our 50,000 US locations.
See return policy
Gift options
Available at checkout
Available at checkout This item is a gift. Change
At checkout, you can add a custom message, a gift receipt for easy returns and have the item gift-wrapped
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$7.23
Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less See less
FREE delivery July 21 - 23. Details
In stock
$$15.95 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.95
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Ships from and sold by ThriftBooks-Phoenix.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

  • The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis (Great Discoveries)

Follow the authors

Get new release updates & improved recommendations
Lerman, Peter
Follow
Sherwin B. Nuland
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis (Great Discoveries)

by Sherwin B. Nuland M.D. (Author) Format: Paperback
4.4 out of 5 stars (211)
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.95","priceAmount":15.95,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"95","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"NG%2B5DZ2I1Nb20gdij71fvSB6uUTWuYEa253q44nMieqTMEu2a1H4Dvhu4kRykJJ1gNSBGiEWHOBfbCGNhr%2FvUs8%2FHfhQcO7IA9q7w2y96Z2jQBxv0Q%2BEKPgzFSKI6uK9G8W5s0fdpJg%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$7.23","priceAmount":7.23,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"7","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"23","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"NG%2B5DZ2I1Nb20gdij71fvSB6uUTWuYEacmTdZk8leROkKn9Ytyegt%2BdzV8Qg1HrWBWtp%2BcyJgjlqcI3vJfGtF4vXN7n6axivbmq5%2FOm%2FBpNq2Xrhdl%2BxjGxKA7jeut%2FR%2BDThN71DFFYhL3jTVSgzhulV78NG1jBv%2FEj%2FOh2lFBHbwmaK9tpZKSg24qbNP9rA","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The "riveting" (Houston Chronicle), "captivating" (Discover), and "compulsively readable" (San Francisco Chronicle) story of the discovery that handwashing helps prevent the spread of disease.

Surgeon, scholar, best-selling author, Sherwin B. Nuland tells the strange story of Ignác Semmelweis with urgency and the insight gained from his own studies and clinical experience. Ignác Semmelweis is remembered for the now-commonplace notion that doctors must wash their hands before examining patients. In mid-nineteenth-century Vienna, however, this was a subversive idea. With deaths from childbed fever exploding, Semmelweis discovered that doctors themselves were spreading the disease. While his simple reforms worked immediately―childbed fever in Vienna all but disappeared―they brought down upon Semmelweis the wrath of the establishment, and led to his tragic end.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Part of series
    Great Discoveries
  2. Print length
    208 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  5. Publication date
    November 17, 2004
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    039332625X
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0393326253
Next slide of product details
Read poolside to seaside.Shop kindle Paperwhite. pantry

Frequently bought together

Image
This item: The Doctors' Plague: Germs, Childbed Fever, and the Strange Story of Ignac Semmelweis (Great Discoveries)
$15.95
Get it as soon as Saturday, Jul 18
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
$9.44
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 27
Sold by RatCo and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
A Short History of Medicine (DK Short Histories)
$14.98
Get it as soon as Saturday, Jul 18
Only 18 left in stock - order soon.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Page 1 of 1 Start over
Previous set of slides
  1. Genius Belabored: Childbed Fever and the Tragic Life of Ignaz Semmelweis
    Theodore G Obenchain
     
    Paperback
    $12.99
    Get it as soon as Saturday, Jul 18
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
    Only 6 left in stock (more on the way).
  4. Obsessive Genius: The Inner World of Marie Curie (Great Discoveries)
    Barbara Goldsmith
     
    Hardcover
    $19.43
    Get it as soon as Saturday, Jul 18
    FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by Amazon
    Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Next set of slides

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start over
Previous page
  1. Book cover A Short History of Medicine (DK Short Histories)
    A Short History of Medicine (DK Short Histories)
    Paperback
    $14.98
    Delivery Sat, Jul 18
  3. Book cover Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors
    Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors
    Paperback
    $18.00
    Delivery Sat, Jul 18
  7. Book cover Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness
    Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness
    Paperback
    $8.52
    Delivery Sat, Jul 18
  8. Book cover The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
    The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
    Hardcover
    $20.99
    Delivery Jul 27 - 29
  10. Book cover Doctors: The Biography of Medicine
    Doctors: The Biography of Medicine
    Paperback
    $12.76
    Delivery Sat, Jul 18
  14. Book cover Being Mortal
    Being Mortal#1 Best SellerHospice Care
    Paperback
    $10.44
    Delivery Sat, Jul 18
  16. Book cover The Wisdom of the Body: Discovering the Human Spirit
    The Wisdom of the Body: Discovering the Human Spirit
    Hardcover
    $8.14
    $5.40 delivery Wed, Jul 22
  19. Book cover The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery
    The Scar: A Personal History of Depression and Recovery
    Hardcover
    $19.93
    $3.95 delivery Mon, Aug 3
  20. Book cover Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
    Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
    Paperback
    $13.55
    Delivery Jul 21 - 22
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nuland has managed to rediscover a critical moment in the history of medicine, the anxieties of which…persist today."
― New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Sherwin B. Nuland (1930―2014) was the National Book Award-winning author of How We Die and clinical professor of surgery at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 17, 2004
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 039332625X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393326253
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Part of series ‏ : ‎ Great Discoveries
  • Best Sellers Rank: #249,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars (211)

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Previous page
  1. Lerman, Peter

    Lerman, Peter

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Sherwin B. Nuland

    Sherwin B. Nuland

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Sherwin B. Nuland is Clinical Professor of Surgery at Yale University School of Medicine and a Fellow at Yale's Institute for Social and Policy Studies. He is the author of over ten books, including the National Book Award-winning, HOW WE DIE: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter, an inquiry into the causes and modes of death that spent 34 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. In addition he is a contributor to leading publications including the New Yorker, the New Republic, and the New York Review of Books.

    See more on the author's page
Next page

Related books

Page 1 of 1Start Over
Sponsored
Previous page
  1. Image
    Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    The Boy From Block 66: A WW2 Jewish Holocaust Survival True Story (Heroic Children of World War II)
    The Boy From Block 66: A WW2 Jewish Holocaust Survival True Story (Heroic Children of World War II)
    4.64.6 out of 5 stars7,956
    $16.30
  2. Image
    Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    The Bathroom Book of History Facts: 1091+ Strange, Funny & Forgotten Truths They Never Taught You In School! (The Ultimate Gag Gift)
    The Bathroom Book of History Facts: 1091+ Strange, Funny & Forgotten Truths They Never Taught You In School! (The Ultimate Gag Gift)
    4.44.4 out of 5 stars264
    $16.77
  3. Image
    Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    A Brief History of Italy: Tracing the Renaissance, Unification, and the Lively Evolution of Art and Culture
    A Brief History of Italy: Tracing the Renaissance, Unification, and the Lively Evolution of Art and Culture
    4.34.3 out of 5 stars243
    $15.99
  4. Image
    Shop the Store on Amazon ›
    1000 European History Facts and 50 True Tales: A Journey Through Europe's Defining Moments and Figures (Bringing History to Life)
    1000 European History Facts and 50 True Tales: A Journey Through Europe's Defining Moments and Figures (Bringing History to Life)
    4.54.5 out of 5 stars29
    $16.01
Next page

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
211 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book well-researched and engaging, with one review noting how it combines literary finesse with scientific precision. Moreover, the story receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a stunning account. However, the writing style receives mixed reactions, with some finding it excellently written while others disagree.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

8 customers mention content, 7 positive, 1 negative
Customers praise the content of the book, describing it as brilliant and well done, with one customer noting its deeply humanizing approach.
...urban hospitals in the early 19th Century is concise, thorough, and well done....Read more
A brilliant book. So readable and fascinating....Read more
...A great book by Dr. Nuland.Read more
...Covenant when I was around 14 years old and it is one of the most affecting books I've ever read....Read more
8 customers mention informative, 8 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the book informative and well-researched, with one customer noting how it combines literary finesse with scientific precision.
...This new book on Ignac Semmelweis is well-researched and it adds greater detail to the sad story of politics, conservatism, and pride which caused...Read more
i enjoyed reading the book it was very informativeRead more
...Nuland's style is brilliant for this style of work. Educational but still casual enough to be enjoyable. What a dynamic story!Read more
...sweeping though urban hospitals in the early 19th Century is concise, thorough, and well done....Read more
7 customers mention engaging, 6 positive, 1 negative
Customers find the book engaging and very interesting, with one customer describing it as a tragic story that is absolutely gripping.
It was interesting to read this book. I was familiar with the story of Semmelweis having read The Cry and the Covenant many years ago....Read more
A brilliant book. So readable and fascinating....Read more
most of it. well written. Holds interest.Read more
...It's amazing and takes you right in as you read the first few pages!...Read more
7 customers mention story, 7 positive, 0 negative
Customers enjoy the story of the book, with one customer highlighting its detailed narrative and another noting how it fits into the broader history of medicine, which is full of heroes.
This is a simple story, and today it is hard to imagine that there was a time that this could have happened. A girl in Vienna, Austria in the...Read more
...What a dynamic story!Read more
Dr. Nuland's book is a very readable, lucid account of the tragedy of Semmelweiss....Read more
...Awesome read, the story is told in detail and it is easily understood by non-english speakers.Read more
6 customers mention writing style, 4 positive, 2 negative
Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style of the book, with some finding it excellently written while others disagree.
most of it. well written. Holds interest.Read more
...With all due respect, the writing style is not that great, either, in my estimation.Read more
A wonderfully written true story of a doctor who had the answer to a medical catastrophe, but because of "palace intrique" was unable to...Read more
A compelling composition combining literary finesse with scientific precision. I had difficulty putting it down until the very last phrase.Read more
Customer reviews require account verification. Sign in