A Coruña - History Lab

Child vaccinators: the feat that brought the smallpox vaccine from Spain halfway around the world

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:06 +0000

Short 5.11 minute video produced by the Department of Microbiology of the University of Seville on the Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition that managed to bring the smallpox vaccine, transported by children, from Spain to different areas of America and Asia as part of the then Spanish empire. It was the first expedition of its kind in human history. The expedition, also known as the Balmis Expedition after the doctor from Alicante, Francisco Javier Balmis, who led it, took place between 1803 and 1806 under the auspices of King Charles IV with funds from the public treasury. In order to preserve the vaccine sample for the duration of the voyage, it was decided that it should be carried by children who were successively inoculated arm in arm during the course of the voyage. Thus, the protagonists of this story were 22 foundlings aged between 3 and 9 from the Foundling Homes in A Coruña, Santiago de Compostela and Madrid, all of them accompanied by Isabel Zendal Gómez, rector of the A Coruña home and mother of one of the children. With the aim of reaching the general public, the narration is particularly clear in its presentation, with visual resources very suitable for primary and secondary school pupils. In addition, this video aims to raise public awareness of the importance of vaccination, as well as to debunk the myth of ‘anti-vaccination’ and its lack of scientific rigour.

The post Child vaccinators: the feat that brought the smallpox vaccine from Spain halfway around the world first appeared on History Lab.

The Balmis Expedition – RNE Documents

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:06 +0000

Audio documentary 55.45 minutes long, which deals with the Royal Philanthropic Smallpox Vaccine Expedition. Commonly known as the Balmis Expedition, it left the port of A Coruña on 30 November 1803 and lasted for three more years. The vaccine, developed by the Englishman Edward Jenner in 1796, proved to be an effective remedy to contain the spread of the virus. With the aim of eradicating the disease in the Empire and the overseas colonies, the Spanish monarchy, with Charles IV as king, sponsored this ambitious and pioneering scientific-medical project. At its head was Dr. Francisco Javier Balmis y Berenguer. The video provides a well-documented account of the expedition. Twenty-two foundlings and orphans travelled with the medical team, led by Isabel Zendal Gómez, the rector of the Casa de Expósitos in A Coruña. The children, aged between 3 and 9 years, carried the vaccine in their bodies and so would be preserved in good condition until their arrival in America. The method consisted of injecting the vaccine into one child and, when it matured, the pulp was extracted and inoculated into another; in this way, a chain was established that ensured the vaccine fluid. In Venezuela, the team split up: one group, led by Balmis himself, went to Cuba and Mexico, while the other, led by deputy director José Salvany, went to South America. The former reached the Philippines and returned to the Peninsula in 1806, while the latter died before their return. With a script by Elisabeth Norell, Documentos RNE rigorously exposes one of the main milestones in the history of medicine with the participation of prestigious historians and experts in public health and epidemiology.

The post The Balmis Expedition – RNE Documents first appeared on History Lab.

Isabel Zendal: the unsung heroine of the vaccine expedition

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:06 +0000

A 1 hour and 30 minute video in which, with the participation of different specialists and the contribution of period documents, the figure of Isabel Zendal Gómez is discussed in the context of the Royal Philanthropic Smallpox Vaccine Expedition. Commonly known as the Balmis Expedition, it left the port of A Coruña on 30 November 1803. With the aim of eradicating the disease in the Empire and the overseas colonies, the Spanish monarchy, with Charles IV as king, sponsored this ambitious and pioneering scientific and medical project. At its head was Dr Francisco Javier Balmis y Berenguer. Twenty-two foundlings and orphans travelled with the medical team, led by Isabel Zendal, the rector of the Casa de Expósitos in A Coruña. The children, aged between 3 and 9 years, carried the vaccine in their bodies and it was kept in good condition until their arrival in America. The method consisted of injecting the vaccine into one child and, when it matured, the pulp was extracted and inoculated into another; in this way, a chain was established that ensured the vaccine fluid. After the American phase, the expedition continued to the Philippines, also with 26 children. The World Health Organisation recognised Zendal as the first nurse in history on an international mission. Her professional activity in the philanthropic expedition lasted for the ten years it took to bring the smallpox vaccine to the Spanish overseas territories.

The post Isabel Zendal: the unsung heroine of the vaccine expedition first appeared on History Lab.

Isabel Zendal

ad_hlab_min — Sat, 19 Feb 2022 16:28:06 +0000

2.12 minute video produced by the Mexican Society of Public Health on the figure of Isabel Zendal Gómez in the context of the Royal Philanthropic Smallpox Vaccine Expedition (1803). It is commonly known as the Balmis Expedition because it was led by Dr Francisco Javier Balmis y Berenguer. Twenty-two foundlings and orphans travelled with the medical team, led by Isabel Zendal, the rector of the Casa de Expósitos of the Hospital de la Caridad in A Coruña. They, aged between 3 and 9 years, were the ones who carried the vaccine in their bodies and so it could be preserved in good condition until its arrival in America. With the aim of being accessible to the general public, the narration is particularly clear in its presentation, with visual resources very suitable for primary and secondary school pupils. Isabel Zendal was recognised by the World Health Organisation as the first nurse in history on an international mission.

The post Isabel Zendal first appeared on History Lab.