Tomas Romay, Doctor and humanist is recognized in our country as the first cuban hygienist for his prevention actions against diseases and health promotion. His name is immortalized by spreading smallpox vaccine in Cuba.
In February, 1804 Tomas applied the vaccine in Santiago de las Vegas and made it reach the town of San Antonio de los Baños. Thus, people were immunized against smallpox in our town. Upon discovering the vaccine and its application in Europe, the Marquis of Monte Hermoso was interested and consulted Protomedicato of Havana, a public health institution of that time, whether it should be used in the village or not. A year later Dr. Tomas Romay left the comforts of his home and went toward the interior of the island in search of the drug introduced earlier in Cuba. The villagers were afraid of inoculation and Tomas Romay publicly inoculated his children in Santiago de las Vegas. Thus, people acceded to the vaccine.
In San Antonio de los Baños did not happen the same, villagers reacted negatively and many, particularly the rural population was not vaccinated. For this reason smallpox outbreaks in the municipality were recurrent. In this situation the local health authorities took action and imposed vaccination for the sake of everyone's health, although sometimes extreme actions were taken to achieve compliance.