system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Would disease really be more widespread if hand washing wasn't the norm?

Are we really "cleaner" as a result? I began thinking about this while at the airport. What if hand washing wasn't an option in public restrooms? What could we begin to expect?
gpt
Hand washing is sometimes credited to Ignaz Semmelweis, who instituted its use in doctors delivering babies. It dramatically reduced the incidence of puerperal fever. It was not uncommon at that time for doctors to participate in dissection of corpses and then go deliver babies. That's a pretty clear cut case - if you have infectious agents on your hands, antisepsic hand washing can be a big plus.