Gac Med Mex
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The Royal Philanthropic Vaccine Expedition (1803-1813) becomes relevant in these pandemic times due to the breadth of its geographical dimension and its nature of a health expedition inspired by a pioneering public health objective of its time: to spread the newly discovered vaccine against smallpox. Undertaken by a small number of participants, the expedition was directed by Francisco Xavier Balmis, who was accompanied, among others, by Antonio Gutiérrez Robredo, his favorite disciple. ⋯ The study of previous correspondence and late resolution of the lawsuit filed by Balmis against Gutiérrez allows us to delve into their biographical profiles. As a direct consequence of that litigation, Gutiérrez never went back to Spain, although he became a professor in Mexico; in contrast, Balmis enjoyed honors and recognition in Madrid.
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SARS-CoV-2 infection has, in most cases, a mild course, although acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with higher mortality. ⋯ Mortality was higher in the public sector, and this could be due to the overcrowding of services, which determined a scarcity of resources.