Francisco Javier Balmis (1753-1819). Spanish military doctor. He led an expedition (1803-1813) to??vaccinate against smallpox in Latin America and the Philippines. The??Royal Philanthropic Expedition departed from La Coruna, together with the surgeon??Josep Salvany??and??the nurse Isabel Zendal. After his arrival in Venezuela in 1804, the expedition decided to split up in order to reach more areas: Balmis went to Mexico. The 'Maria Pita', the ship chartered for the expedition, leaving from the port of La Coruna (Galicia, Spain). Engraving. Historia del Levantamiento, guerra y revolucion de Espana by the Conde de Toreno. Madrid, 1851. (Photo by: Prisma/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)