The Cry and the Covenant Historical fiction Based on the life of Ignaz Semmelweis b d an Austrian Hungarian physician known for his research into puerperal fever and his advances in medical hygiene In the novel he
Historical fiction Based on the life of Ignaz Semmelweis b 1818 d 1865 , an Austrian Hungarian physician known for his research into puerperal fever and his advances in medical hygiene In the novel he struggles to prove to his fellow doctors that if they would only wash their hands, they would save the lives of many mothers.
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The Cry and the Covenant - Morton Thompson
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Morton Thompson
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Title:
The Cry and the Covenant - Morton Thompson
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Published :2019-09-26T11:06:07+00:00
Morton Thompson Is a well-known author, some of his books are a fascination for readers like in theThe Cry and the Covenant book, this is one of the most wanted Morton Thompson author readers around the world.
906 Replys to “The Cry and the Covenant”
****1/2In 1847 a sharp Hungarian doctor by the name of Ignaz Semmelweis made a brilliant discovery. He found if doctors just washed their hands in chlorine solution, the death rate for Puerperal fever (which is caused by sepsis) could be brought down to less the 1%. Considering that the rate before this was a whopping 35%, this was a huge life saving discovery. The great unsettling mystery though, is why did the whole medical community ignore him? Didn’t doctors want to save lives? Were the li [...]
At any given time a day, a woman is giving birth to a baby. Although this is a dangerous endeavor; it is much safer than it was throughout history when almost half of all mothers died from ‘childbed fever’ (puerperal fever). There is a man to thank; who fought for the simple advancement of washing hands when assisting births to prevent this life-threatening infection: Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis. Morton Thompson highlights the doctor’s life in the historical fiction novel, “The Cry and the Cove [...]
Although indicates that "The Cry and the Covenant" was published in 1955, it was first published in 1949. As a teenager, more than six decades ago, I read it and have reread it many times since. It has been my passion to see it become a major film in that it would not only be a compelling and audience capturing potential masterpiece, but it would serve to alert the public to be always on guard to demand that medical professionals ALWAYS employ antiseptic procedures prior to examining patients, [...]
THE CRY AND THE COVENANT is a very old book, published in 1949. It is the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, a brilliant young intern whose thinking was far ahead of the medical community of his time. In a Viennese hospital he made the shocking discovery that thousands of women were dying of childbirth because of unhygienic methods used by the physicians who attended them. Ridiculed and ignored by his peers, Semmelweis eventually gave his own life to save mothers and the children they bore. His discover [...]
For decades I had meant to read this, but last week by chance found it browsing in the public library for something else. It was the hard-to-find hardbound 1949 edition. It's my practice not to give five stars to serious fiction (humor is eligible) until I've read the book twice, but this being fictionalized biography I count it as non-fiction. The main events, except for one near the end of the main character's life, fit perfectly with the outstanding wiki entry on Ignaz Semmelweis. This is a m [...]
I have read this book at least 5 times over the course of quite a few decades and have always been enthralled in the experience. It is such a shame that Ignaz Semmelweis is not better known in average households as a true hero and advocate and life-saver. Morton Thompson created an intimate insight into the main character that makes one feel that he must have surely known this doctor. The reader feels a sense of outrage at the injustice dealt to this man and shares his frustration at those who w [...]
Beautifully written. Moving, thought provoking, one of the very best books (as far as touching me emotionally and making me ponder) I've ever read. An incredible historical fiction on the life of Semmelweis who fought endlessly to save women from child-bed fever that is an absolute must read for EVERYONE, particularly all women. The kind of book that will change your life and perspective.
My friend (who is taking over my book club here when we move this week) stopped by and dropped off this out-of-print 1949 book about Ignaz Semmelweis, who discovered the cause of childbed fever. She warned me that it was a little gory (with childbirth and other medical details) but incredible. I found this book fascinating, as Semmelweis discovers that washing and disinfecting hands cut down drastically on the mother and infant mortality rates in the lying-in hospitals. The doctors and students [...]
This book was so good! It is the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, the man who discovered that hand-washing prevented the spread of disease in hospitals. It was amazing and appalling to read some of the ideas the medical community held during this time (the 1800's). But the book was not just about medicine, in fact that was really a small part. It is a novel that tells the story of a man with a passion and a determination to match it. It also illustrates the unfair politics that affect the progress of [...]
Read during my impressionable years and was very taken with this story. Have always loved reading about medical topics and have tried to use correct terminology ever since. I had a career as a medical transcriptionist, which I think I was pretty good at because of my love of many things medical.I appreciate reading the other comments about this book and agree that it would make a great movie.
I own a first edition copy of this book and have read it several times. The first time I thought it was quite extraordinary, but then I learned that Dr. Ignaz Semelweis was a real person. The horrors of medicine in the mid 1800's is illuminated and inspire the reader to wash hands and prevent the spread of disease.
Thank heavens for this man. Discovering the germ theory and then giving his life and going insane trying to get people to listen. Every healthy child born owes this man a debt of gratitude. I was apalled at the arrogance in the medical field thinking they were above hand washing and choosing to let innocent babies die "let me give birth in the street" I can't imagine the nightmare.
My favorite book of all time. I've read it 4-5 times. Unfortunately is it out of print, but can be found in used book stores. It has everything that I like, passion, courage, a heroic character, and is great historical fiction.
I don't know if it was the best idea of mine to read a book about childbirth. However, I am grateful for Semmelweis and all he did to help women not die needlessly in childbirth. A sad tale, but a great read.
I loved this book, but it was hard to finish because his life was so discouraging!
Fascinating, unforgettable story. Glad I pushed through and finished it.
The first quarter of this book was kind of slow, and I almost stopped reading several times. I like history, and I like historical fiction, but this is a fictionalized biography. Some of the historical tangents slowed down the story, and while I enjoy learning about new time periods, because this one is fiction, I wasn’t sure how much of the information was real and how much wasn’t. But the book was recommended by a dear friend, so I kept reading. And I’m glad I did. As soon as Semmelweis [...]
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, though the ending was sad. I, like the author, was angry at the way in which Ingaz Semmelweiss was treated when he made a remarkable discovery in the medical world.
When Ignaz Semmelweis discovered that washing thoroughly, both hands and instruments, before examining women in labour would greatly reduce, if not eliminate childbed fever, you would have thought he would be hailed as a hero. Well, a sane person would think that, anyhow. Instead, Semmelweis was regarded as "The Pesth Fool" for providing common-sense, basic refutation to the entrenched belief that puerperal fever was caused by pregnancy, low morale, miasma, and at least 30 other ridiculous theor [...]
It is a shock and a surprise to realise that hygiene was so low in Europe, that doctors did not wash hands after dealing with dead bodies (what else and who else also did not wash hands after what other activities is left to imagination) and the one person who did realise that washing hands after other activities and before treating the next patient - especially the women in childbirth that died regularly and those deaths were treated as if normal and expected occurrence - this one person who no [...]
A historical novel about the man who basically discovered and promoted hand-washing and his struggle to "change the world". This was a really interesting book - a little slow - but very educational and overall, I really enjoyed reading it. It is marked as fictional because we can't know the minute details of his life, of course, but the major historical events in it are true. I only gave it 3 stars, as I don't know that I would read it again . . . hmmm - maybe . . . but I am really glad that I r [...]
Read and re-read my mother's taped and saranwraped copy many times, and so often wished I had a copy to give to everyone who works in healthcare and foodservice TODAY! Gloves often are misused, and are NOT a substitute for handwashing! 200 years and handwashing is the most underrated activity of modern daily life. Oh,that this was required reading at medical School! As unlikely as reprints of this novel are, does anyone know when the copyright would rendered it public domain, so perhaps someone [...]
I really enjoyed this book, even though it was written in kind of an older-sounding language style. It's the story of the man who discovered why so many women died of childbed fever. The story was captivating, and when he finally made the connection I was so relieved and wanted to cheer. One OB killed himself because he couldn't live with the guilt of knowing he had murdered so many women, even though it was unwitting.
Just astounding. I had heard Dr. Semmelweiss' name in nursing school, and subsequently worked as an obstetrical/neonatal nurse. But I had no idea what a ground-breaker he was. And the fact that he was so maligned and ignored.well, there is just no excuse for such a response from the medical community! I'm shocked. But I guess.I'm not surprised. Sad story; excellent book.
First and foremost, I learned about Ignaz Semmelweiss, about his drive, his compassion, and his desire to make a wrong right. But I also learned how medicine and health care have changed since his days as a medical student. This was a great story, an important story, a story not to be missed by anyone staying or working in a hospital.
I read it a long time ago. It is very interesting but not a thriller or anything. It somewhat kept my interest.It is about a doctor and how he tries to solve the mystery of childbed fever in the hospital. None of the doctors believe that the answer could be so easy as just washing your hands. He spends the rest of his life trying to prove it.
I first read this book as a nursing student many years ago. It was amazing what I didn't remember. How unfortunate that it took so long for Semmelwies to be recognized for his ultimately life-saving discovery and how ironic that he died of sepsis.
This was one book that my mother read so often she wore out several copies. I currently have her last copy purchased when I was in high school. I read it because she, who was a nurse, found the subject interesting. I too enjoyed and plan on re-reading it again soon.
A fictionalized biography of Ignaz Semmelweis, the Hungarian doctor who discovered the cause of puerperal fever and then advocated chlorine washes as prevention. Well-written, poignant and absorbing.
Reading this when i was a teenager set me on the path to my career as a midwife