Una propuesta fallida para propagar la vacuna contra la viruela en Hispanoamérica (1802)

After the initial propagation of Jenner's method in England and the rest of Europe, great interest was expressed in extending it to Asian and American countries. In the case of Spain, the epidemic foci occurring in overseas territories led the authorities of the different Viceroyalties to demand that the Spanish Crown send them this new remedy as soon as possible. The Bourbon monarchy, which had introduced scientific expeditions as an element of progress and dominion, approved the project known as the Spanish Royal Philanthropic Expedition (Balmis Expedition), which set sail for America under the leadership of Balmis in 1803. We tell the tale of an almost unrecorded previous proposal in which an unknown surgeon, Rafael de Malaguilla, offered to carry out a similar initiative.