ONE thing that gets to me is when people who do tremendous good, often at great personal cost, don’t get recognition, let alone appreciation.
One such – and my personal role model – is the 19th Century gynaecologist and obstetrician Philip Ignaz (Ignatius) Semmelweis.
He probably did more for women’s welfare and women’s rights than any other single individual ever.
Yet mention him to anyone today – even militant feminists – and you’ll probably get a blank look.
I find that an incredibly sad commentary on our cultural affinities and choice of priorities.
Equally sad was what became of him. He (knowingly) pushed his luck too far and they had to silence him.
His death when it came was probably as predictable as it was mysterious.
He was a human being of profound goodness, love, courage and humility, and also – as it often the case with such people – vulnerability.
Just like our Lord himself.
Tony Kelly, Crook
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