Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – “Santiago Ramón y Cajal, el cólera y la envidia”
SER Podcast | Acontece que no es poco
Host: Nieves Concostrina | Date: October 18, 2023
Main Theme
In this episode, Nieves Concostrina offers her signature historical narrative to delve into the story of Santiago Ramón y Cajal—eminent Spanish scientist and Nobel laureate—and the fierce rivalries, envy, and egos that marked the race to create the first cholera vaccine in Spain during the late 19th century. The episode explores the overlooked achievements of microbiologist Jaume Ferrán, the scientific context of the time, and how human ambition and petty disputes shaped one of Spain’s most significant public health battles.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. The Shadow of Envy in Scientific Glory
- The episode opens by reflecting on how even great scientists are susceptible to envy and competitiveness, especially in moments of crisis when the stakes—and egos—are high.
- Quote [01:04] – Nieves: “Yo creo que ningún humano estamos libres de ser un poquito celosos.”
- The case of Santiago Ramón y Cajal is emblematic: while a brilliant researcher, he was both subject to and an agent of rivalry, at times undermining others' achievements while feeling put out by slights to his own work.
2. Setting: The Cholera Pandemics of 1884–1885
- The episode’s historical context is the devastating cholera pandemic that struck Spain in the 1880s (and earlier deadly waves in 1834).
- At the time, only smallpox had an effective vaccine; scientists were in frantic pursuit of new preventions for killer diseases like cholera.
- [03:38] Nieves: "Ya se conocía la vacunación, pero la única vacuna conocida contra una enfermedad era la de la viruela. Y los científicos estaban como locos buscando más vacunas..."
3. Jaume Ferrán: The Overlooked Pioneer
- Jaume Ferrán, a Catalonian microbiologist, created a viable cholera vaccine using live but attenuated bacteria taken from patients in Marseille.
- Ferrán tested his vaccine first on animals, then on himself, his family, and doctors who trusted him, before conducting mass vaccinations in Valencia during the outbreak.
- Quote [05:55] Nieves: “En tres meses, con el campamento base puesto en la ciudad de Valencia, el profesor, el doctor Jaume Ferrán y su colega vacunaron a 50.000 personas, yendo y viniendo a distintos pueblos… allá donde vacunaban bajaban muchísimo los contagios y por supuesto bajaban las muertes.”
4. The Rivalry: Cajal vs. Ferrán
- Ferrán’s secrecy around his production methods and lack of governmental support meant he functioned independently, even charging those who could pay (but not the poor).
- Enter Santiago Ramón y Cajal, then a young anatomy professor in Valencia. Despite personally receiving Ferrán’s vaccine, Cajal publicly criticized Ferrán's method for being “poco riguroso” (not rigorous).
- Quote [07:49] Nieves: “Aquí es donde entró el envidiosillo Santiago Ramón y Cajal, que pese a haberse puesto la vacuna del cólera de Ferran... dijo que a él no le convencía, que el método de Ferran era poco riguroso. Hizo un informe desfavorable contra Ferran y su vacuna.”
- Cajal’s negative report had far-reaching consequences: the Spanish government suspended Ferrán’s vaccination campaign.
- Concostrina speculates on Cajal’s motives, suggesting professional jealousy and a desire to outshine Ferrán, especially as both were operating in Valencia.
- Quote [09:10] Nieves: “Nosé, a mí me huele como a celos, parece.”
5. Cajal’s Alternative Approach
- Cajal proposed inoculating “dead” (heat-killed) bacteria instead of live, attenuated ones—an innovative idea. He published his successful animal trials, though not in a widely-read language.
- Unfortunately, Cajal's research in Spanish was largely ignored; months later, American scientists Salmon and Theobald Smith published similar results in English and received global credit.
- Quote [10:57] Nieves: “El español es una lengua desconocida por los sabios… al publicar en castellano su investigación nadie la leyó. Esas mismas conclusiones... las publicaron en inglés los dos yankees... y claro, se llevaron el mérito de la vacuna contra el cólera creada a partir de bacterias muertas.”
6. Legacy and Vindication of Jaume Ferrán
- Eventually, Ferrán gained posthumous recognition as the creator of the first effective cholera vaccine, his further work on typhus and rabies, and his life-saving impact during the 1885 epidemic.
- Quote [12:32] Nieves: “En casi todas las publicaciones científicas se le reconoce como el creador de la primera vacuna contra el cólera.”
- Ferrán’s vaccine saved thousands: out of 50,000 vaccinated, only 54 died from cholera, compared to 120,000 deaths among the unvaccinated.
- Quote [13:21] Nieves: “Las vacunas contra virus y bacterias ya se usan con el bicho muerto... Pero la del doctor Ferrán salvó miles y miles de vidas. Porque de 50 mil vacunados murieron sólo 54 personas.”
7. Epidemics, Misinformation, and the Spanish Experience
- Concostrina weaves in commentary on earlier epidemics (notably the deadly 1834 wave), the dangers of misinformation and scapegoating, and the broader history of cholera in Spain.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Universal Human Feelings
"Yo creo que ningún humano estamos libres de ser un poquito celosos."
(Nieves, 01:04) -
On the Impact of Ferrán’s Vaccine
“En tres meses... vacunaron a 50.000 personas... bajaban muchísimo los contagios y por supuesto bajaban las muertes.”
(Nieves, 05:55) -
On Scientific Rivalry
"Aquí es donde entró el envidiosillo Santiago Ramón y Cajal..."
(Nieves, 07:49) -
On Bureaucratic Obstacles
“La oficialidad a veces servía más para entorpecer que para ayudar.”
(Nieves, 05:55) -
On Language and Recognition
“El español es una lengua desconocida por los sabios... al publicar en castellano su investigación nadie la leyó.”
(Nieves, 10:57) -
On The Vindication of Ferrán
“En casi todas las publicaciones científicas se le reconoce como el creador de la primera vacuna contra el cólera... la del doctor Ferrán salvó miles y miles de vidas.”
(Nieves, 12:32, 13:21) -
On Epidemic Impact
"Murieron 300.000 personas. Luego hubo tres epidemias más. Pero en España hace 40 años que no se detecta el cólera... un besito a los antivacunas y a los catedráticos epidemiólogos de Barra de bar."
(Nieves, 13:46)
Timestamps and Important Segments
- [01:04] – Humans and the inevitability of jealousy in science
- [03:38] – Setting the scene: Spain in the grip of cholera
- [05:55] – Ferrán mass vaccinates in Valencia; success and methods explained
- [07:49] – Cajal’s criticism and the halting of Ferrán’s campaign
- [10:57] – The linguistic mishap: Cajal’s innovation goes unrecognized
- [12:32] – Ferrán’s legacy and impact statistics
- [13:46] – Wrap-up: cholera’s toll and a jab at modern anti-vaccination sentiment
Conclusion
Nieves Concostrina skillfully combines wit and historical detail to highlight the human elements—envy, ambition, righteousness, and stubbornness—behind the scientific drama surrounding Spain’s cholera epidemics. The episode not only rehabilitates Jaume Ferrán’s crucial role in saving lives but also reflects on how language, recognition, and character flaws shaped medical history. The message resonates beyond the 19th century, touching on lessons for public health, scientific communication, and the dangers of egotism in times of crisis.