Final answer:
Ignaz Semmelweis observed that mothers with home births had fewer infections than those in hospitals, and he proposed handwashing as a solution. His observations and interventions led to a significant decrease in the death rate from puerperal fever. Hence the correct answer is option A
Step-by-step explanation:
Ignaz Semmelweis observed that mothers who gave birth in hospital wards staffed by physicians and medical students were more likely to suffer and die from puerperal fever after childbirth than were mothers in wards staffed by midwives. He suspected that the students carried disease from autopsies to the patients they examined without washing their hands. Semmelweis urged doctors and medical students to wash their hands before examining pregnant women, leading to a significant decrease in the death rate. Therefore, the correct answer is A. Ignaz Semmelweis.
Hence the correct answer is option A