Balmis Expedition departs Spain to vaccinate against smallpox

Background. Smallpox was a devastating disease endemic to the Old World that decimated American populations after its introduction by Spanish conquistadors. In 1798, Edward Jenner pioneered vaccination using cowpox material, which rapidly spread through Europe. The discovery reached King Charles IV of Spain, whose daughter suffered from smallpox. By 1801, thousands had been vaccinated in Spain, and the method was well publicized, setting the stage for an official mission to spread the vaccine to Spanish territories.

Expedition Preparation. The Royal Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition was a Spanish healthcare mission led by Dr. Francisco Javier de Balmis, a military physician. The mission aimed to vaccinate hundreds of thousands against smallpox in Spanish America, the Philippines, and China. The vaccine was transported through children, specifically orphaned boys who sailed with the expedition, and for part of the journey, three enslaved girls from Cuba. This method relied on arm-to-arm vaccination to maintain the live virus during transit.

Departure from A Coruña. On 30 November 1803, the expedition set off from A Coruña in northwest Spain. The vessel used was the Maria Pita. The mission was an official Spanish effort to spread the vaccine discovered by Jenner, marking the start of what is considered the first international healthcare expedition in history. Isabel Zendal, a nurse born in the province and associated with the city's hospital, is described as the nurse who led the Balmis Expedition, which departed from A Coruña.