Order authorising payments to F.X. de Balmis

Copies of the Real Orden of 29 March 1794 and subsequent documentation authorising salary payments in American currency to F.X. de Balmis during his proposed visit to New Spain to collect roots of Agave americana and Begonia balmisiana. Produced in Mexico. Authenticating signature and 7 rúbricas of Lic. Pedro Martínez on papel sellado. During his stay in New Spain 1783-92 and his appointment as Cirujano mayor from 1790 at the Hospital de San Andrés, Balmis [1753-1819] had satisfied himself and the Faculty of the efficacy of the roots of these plants in the treatment of syphilis. He published his defence (Madrid, 1794) following an attack on his results by the Madrid physician, Bartolomé Piñera y Siles; the defence was republished in translation in Rome (1795) and in Leipzig (1797) [Palau 22740]. [See Balmis (1794), pp. 1-32, and Fernandez del Castillo (1960), pp. 22-25]

1794

7 ll. 31 x 21 cm. Bound in modern vellum.

Purchased 1962.

Balmis is principally remembered as Director of the world-encircling expedition which took vaccination to all parts of the Spanish Empire 1803-06. A detailed account has been published by Smith (1974).

At Wellcome Collection: see WMS/Amer.37 and 39.

Described in: Robin Price, An Annotated Catalogue of Medical Americana in the Library of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1983).

The items in this collection formed part of the Guerra Collection.