The April 3, 1879, Peru was embroiled in the Pacific War . On April 5, 1879 meet members of the Faculty of Medicine, "San Fernando "of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and in extraordinary session unanimously agreed to donate their salaries to professors throughout the time duration of the conflict. In addition, professional services offered to the Supreme Government of the day and appointed a commission to to develop a proposed organization of ambulances should act on the battlefield.
The commission presented its report and then the dean of the faculty raised the project to the supreme government: there was already talk of the Geneva Conference and the Red Cross. The project will emphasize the advantage of freeing the fact he had the civic organizations of the military were to pool their efforts, because their aim is the same: help and assistance of sick and wounded soldiers in the armies of campaign.
The April 17, 1879 the Supreme Government approves the project and appointing the Central Board composed as Red Cross President Monsignor José Antonio Roca and Bologna, as Vice-Chairman Dr. Manuel Odriozola ; and as secretary to Dr. José Casimiro Ulloa , among other officials, signs the sr. President of the Republic Gen. Mariano Ignacio Prado and the Minister of Education, Worship and Charities Dr. Manuel Paz Soldan.
From May 7 the government dictates the provision on the name of the Board central, it would be "Central Board of Civil Ambulance Red Cross in Peru." Was set up four "civilian ambulance of the Red Cross in Peru, the first, which left the port of Callao on May 3, 1879, was made by Carlos Sotomayor (later appointed secretary of the Company), a head , a secretary, an assistant, a chaplain, two doctors, four medical students and 26 men, besides the appropriate emergency medical supplies to the hard work that awaited them in the firing line of the southern campaign. Among the characters that support this mission of the Civil Ambulance Red Cross are French citizens and recalled Emile Henriod Daniel Alcides Carrión , while still a student. Civil Ambulance Red Cross helped the wounded without distinction on both sides as was his mission, unfortunately, the recent disregard of the Geneva Convention did not allow America to save more lives, but leaves a lesson of heroism and humane slaughter.
The April 30, 1880 the Swiss Federal Council decrees that, before the exchange of ratifications, Peru is embodied in the Convention and enters the Red Cross Movement. In the circular number 45 of the Committee established international date May 8, 1880, certifying that the Peruvian Red Cross, is the first to emerge in America and in this document gives his date of birth: April 17, 1879.
