Isabel Zendal functioned as the supervisor of an orphanage in A Coruña before joining the Real Expedición Filantrópica de la Vacuna. Between 1803 and 1806, she served as a nurse on this international mission, which transported the smallpox vaccine from Spain to populations across South America and Asia with the support of King Charles IV.
The Balmis Expedition
The primary objective of the expedition was to provide immunization against smallpox to millions. Zendal managed a group of 22 to 26 orphan boys during the transit. These children served as the human carriers for the cowpox virus required to maintain the vaccine supply throughout the journey. Her responsibilities required continuous care for the children, ensuring the biological material remained viable.
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Documentation of her identity remains complex, as approximately 300 variations of her name exist in historical records, including Ysabel Gómez Sandalla and Isabel Cendala y Gómez. In 2017, the city of A Coruña renamed a local street from Calle Isabel Lopez Gandalia to Calle Isabel Zendal Gómez to better reflect her identity. The confusion regarding her name originated from varied spellings in archives.
Legacy and Institutional Recognition
The World Health Organization identified Zendal in 1950 as the first nurse to participate in an international medical mission. Her contributions have since been memorialized through the Spanish pharmaceutical company Zendal, formerly CZ Veterinaria, which adopted her name in 2018. Additionally, the Region of Madrid established the Hospital de Emergencias Enfermera Isabel Zendal during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, sculptor Francisco Escudeiro created a statue installed in A Coruña near her former workplace.
Fast facts
- Born: 1773, Ordes, Spain
- Died: 1900, Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza
- Occupation: Nurse
- Field of work: Smallpox vaccination
- Expedition years: 1803-1806
- Citizenship: Spain
Questions readers ask
What was the specific role of the orphans on the expedition?
The orphan boys served as carriers for the cowpox virus, which was necessary to keep the vaccine viable during the long voyage.
Why is there such variation in the spelling of her name?
Historical archives contain approximately 300 different spellings of her name, likely due to clerical inconsistencies in 19th-century records.
Achievements
- Fields: vaccination and smallpox
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