Re: Quotes and Knowledge

[David Kerridge <dfk@mwfree.net>]

Emily Harris quotes the story of Semmelweiss:

>To me the story of Ignaz Semmelweiss, the Hungarian obstetrician, typifies
>the meaning of this quote. It also is an illustration of resistance to new
>knowledge.

...... (Semmelweiss showed that the use of antiseptics could vastly reduce
         deaths from sepsis after childbirth)

>Semmelweiss continued his work in Budapest, published what has been called
>"one of the epoch-making books of medical literature" in 1861, and it took
>another 20 years before his work was accepted.

The similarities with Deming are stronger than appears at first sight. Not all
new theories met with such resistance. Why so much in this case? These are
my guesses, having studied the story.

1)   The evidence was statistical.

2)   The explanation he put forward involved an *invisible* means of 
transmitting
       disease. The old theories, such as bad smells, were tangible, even though
       not visible.

3)   Semmelweiss blamed the doctors themselves as the main agent of spreading
       illness.


Compare that with the Deming Management philosophy:

1)   Strong emphasis on statistical ideas like variation.

2)   Invisible factors in the system are the most important.

3)   The greatest problems are caused by managers themselves.

As I understand it, the ideas were only accepted when Louis Pasteur
showed the cause of transmission to be visible under the microscope.

Best wishes
David
dfk@mwfree.net
======================================================================