A Lesson from History

In the 18th and 19th centuries, a terrifying medical mystery spread across Europe and America. Women would give birth, only to die within 48 hours. Some hospitals saw mortality rates as high as 70%. This deadly phenomenon, known as Puerperal Fever (or the Black Death of Childbirth), baffled doctors.

Determined to find the cause, these doctors did what they knew best, they studied the bodies of the deceased. In the mornings, they conducted autopsies. In the afternoons, they delivered babies.

And the deaths continued...

It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes made a startling realization, the doctors themselves were the problem.

Without realizing it, they were carrying infections from the dead to the living because they weren’t washing their hands. When Holmes pointed it out, his peers dismissed him. For 30 years, his warnings were ignored.

Then, finally, someone listened.

When hospitals introduced handwashing and sterilization, the Black Death of Childbirth disappeared.

The Lesson? Take Responsibility

It’s easy to blame circumstances, others, or bad luck when things go wrong. But sometimes, the real problem is us. The way we work, the habits we’ve formed, or the choices we make can contribute to the very issues we face.

The good news? Just like washing hands solved a crisis, even small changes in our approach can make a big difference.

So, before looking outward for answers, ask yourself: Could I be the problem? Because the moment we take responsibility, we gain the power to fix it !