In 1803, Spain launched the first global mission to vaccinate millions against smallpox
Faced with a devastating smallpox epidemic, Spain launched a daring 1803 expedition to carry the vaccine across the Atlantic using a living chain of twenty-two orphaned children as carriers.
In 1803, Dr. Francisco Javier de Balmis set sail from Spain on a mission to vaccinate millions across the Spanish Empire. Because the smallpox vaccine could not be preserved for long voyages, Balmis used twenty-two orphans to keep the virus alive. He vaccinated two children at a time, then used the resulting cowpox blisters to inoculate the next pair throughout the journey.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz