<P> The day his term expired, Semmelweis petitioned the Viennese authorities to be made docent of obstetrics . A docent was a private lecturer who taught students and who had access to some university facilities . At first, because of Klein's opposition, Semmelweis's petition was denied . He reapplied, but had to wait until 10 October 1850 (more than 18 months), before finally being appointed docent of' theoretical' obstetrics . The terms refused him access to cadavers and limited him to teaching students by using leather - fabricated mannequins only . A few days after being notified of his appointment, Semmelweis left Vienna abruptly and returned to Pest . He apparently left without so much as saying good - bye to his former friends and colleagues, a move that may have offended them . According to his own account, he left Vienna because he was "unable to endure further frustrations in dealing with the Viennese medical establishment". </P> <P> During 1848--1849, some 70 000 troops from the Habsburg - ruled Austrian Empire thwarted the Hungarian independence movement, executed or imprisoned its leaders and in the process destroyed parts of Pest . Semmelweis, upon arriving from the Habsburg Vienna in 1850, likely was not warmly welcomed in Pest . </P> <P> On 20 May 1851, Semmelweis took the relatively insignificant, unpaid, honorary head - physician position of the obstetric ward of Pest's small Szent Rókus Hospital . He held that position for six years, until June 1857 . Childbed fever was rampant at the clinic; at a visit in 1850, just after returning to Pest, Semmelweis found one fresh corpse, another patient in severe agony, and four others seriously ill with the disease . After taking over in 1851, Semmelweis virtually eliminated the disease . During 1851--1855, only eight patients died from childbed fever out of 933 births (0.85%). </P> <P> Despite the impressive results, Semmelweis's ideas were not accepted by the other obstetricians in Budapest . The professor of obstetrics at the University of Pest, Ede Flórián Birly, never adopted Semmelweis's methods . He continued to believe that puerperal fever was due to uncleanliness of the bowel . Therefore, extensive purging was the preferred treatment . </P>

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