Smallpox a serious and highly contagious infectious disease with an elevated mortality rate back in the day. Among the survivors, the consequences were severe, including blindness. Known from the earliest ancient times civilizations that later went to Europe where it spread, causing terrifying smallpox epidemics. Barely a few years after Edward Jenner introduced the antiviral vaccine for the disease, the Spanish Crown, while propagating vaccination in the metropolis, organized the Royal Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition in order that the populations of the then Spanish colonies in America and the Philippines would benefit from the great discovery. In the decision to promote this great expedition, a personal circumstance played an important role.
