Final answer:
Ignaz Semmelweis did not discover a method to cultivate pathogenic bacteria in mice. He focused on studying puerperal fever and observed that hospitals staffed by physicians had a higher mortality rate compared to those staffed by midwives. He proposed handwashing as a way to prevent disease transmission.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ignaz Semmelweis did not discover a means to cultivate pathogenic bacteria in mice. His observation and study focused on puerperal fever, an often-fatal infection in women who have just given birth. Semmelweis observed that mothers in hospitals staffed by physicians and medical students had a higher mortality rate compared to those in wards staffed by midwives. He hypothesized that physicians were transmitting the causative agent to their patients and proposed handwashing as a preventative measure.