Carl Siegmund Franz Credé
Encyclopedia
Carl Siegmund Franz Credé (23 December 1819 – 14 March 1892) was a German gynecologist and obstetrician who was a native of Berlin
. In 1842 he received his doctorate from the University of Berlin. In 1852 he became director of the "Berlin School of Midwives" and chief physician of the maternity
division at the Berlin Charité
. Later he was appointed professor of obstetrics
and director of the maternity hospital in Leipzig
. In Berlin and Leipzig, Credé established out-patient gynecology clinics. Credé was father-in-law to gynecologist Christian Gerhard Leopold
(1846–1912).
Carl Credé is famous for introducing the use of silver nitrate
eyedrops as an antiseptic
for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum
in newborns. He used a 2% silver nitrate solution, and first demonstrated its effectiveness in the early 1880s. During a three-year period, Credé treated 1160 newborns with silver nitrate, and only two infants developed ophthalmia. The silver nitrate solution is sometimes referred to as "Credé's prophylaxis" in medical literature. Later, the solution was diluted to 1% silver nitrate, and became a standard practice in obstetrics.
Credé is also credited for implementing a procedure to hasten delivery of the placenta
during the third stage of labor. With Dr. Leopold, he co-authored Clinical Lectures on Midwifery, which was later translated into English.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. In 1842 he received his doctorate from the University of Berlin. In 1852 he became director of the "Berlin School of Midwives" and chief physician of the maternity
Maternity
Maternity or motherhood is the social and legal acknowledgment of the parental relationship between a mother and her child.It is specially related with the protection of the baby and the mother within and after the childbirth.-See also:...
division at the Berlin Charité
Charité
The Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin is the medical school for both the Humboldt University and the Free University of Berlin. After the merger with their fourth campus in 2003, the Charité is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe....
. Later he was appointed professor of obstetrics
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and director of the maternity hospital in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
. In Berlin and Leipzig, Credé established out-patient gynecology clinics. Credé was father-in-law to gynecologist Christian Gerhard Leopold
Christian Gerhard Leopold
Christian Gerhard Leopold was a German gynecologist who was born in Meerane, Saxony. In 1870 he earned his medical doctorate from the University of Leipzig, where he studied under Carl Siegmund Franz Credé , who would later become his father-in-law...
(1846–1912).
Carl Credé is famous for introducing the use of silver nitrate
Silver nitrate
Silver nitrate is an inorganic compound with chemical formula . This compound is a versatile precursor to many other silver compounds, such as those used in photography. It is far less sensitive to light than the halides...
eyedrops as an antiseptic
Antiseptic
Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of infection, sepsis, or putrefaction...
for the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum
Ophthalmia neonatorum
Neonatal conjunctivitis, also known as ophthalmia neonatorum, is a form of bacterial conjunctivitis contracted by newborns during delivery. The baby's eyes are contaminated during passage through the birth canal from a mother infected with either Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Chlamydia trachomatis....
in newborns. He used a 2% silver nitrate solution, and first demonstrated its effectiveness in the early 1880s. During a three-year period, Credé treated 1160 newborns with silver nitrate, and only two infants developed ophthalmia. The silver nitrate solution is sometimes referred to as "Credé's prophylaxis" in medical literature. Later, the solution was diluted to 1% silver nitrate, and became a standard practice in obstetrics.
Credé is also credited for implementing a procedure to hasten delivery of the placenta
Placenta
The placenta is an organ that connects the developing fetus to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother's blood supply. "True" placentas are a defining characteristic of eutherian or "placental" mammals, but are also found in some snakes and...
during the third stage of labor. With Dr. Leopold, he co-authored Clinical Lectures on Midwifery, which was later translated into English.