La Cruz Blanca

La Cruz Blanca Neutral was a volunteer infirmary and relief service founded by Elena Arizmendi Mejia in 1911.

[4] Reports of the war, casualties and the refusal of the Red Cross to treat insurgents,[5] caused Arizmendi to return to Mexico City via train on 17 April 1911.

[4] They formed an association under the guidelines of the Geneva Conventions and she acted as fundraiser, enlisting the help of celebrities like María Conesa, Virginia Fábregas, and Leopoldo Beristáin.

Arizmendi and Carlos, formed the first brigade with Dr. Ignacio Barrios and Dr. Antonio Márquez and nurses María Avon, Juana Flores Gallardo, Atilana García, Elena de Lange, and Tomasa Villareal.

The second brigade, led by Dr. Francisco, left the following day and on the 14th a third brigade, headed by Dr. Lorenzo and ten nurses including Innocenta Díaz, Concepción Ibáñez, Jovita Muñiz, Concepción Sánchez, María Sánchez, Basilia Vélez, María Vélez and Antonia Zorilla, set off for Juárez.

There were twenty nurses assigned to work in the City of Juarez: María Avon, Innocenta Díaz, Juana Flores Gallardo, Atilana García, Rebeca Guillén, Concepción Ibáñez, Elena de Lange, Rhoda Miller, Jovita Muñiz, Telésfora Pérez, Francés M. Readi, Amelia Rodríguez, Concepción Sánchez, María Sánchez, Teodora J. Velarde, Basilia Vélez, María Vélez, Loreto Vélez, Tomasa Villarreal y Antonia Zorilla.

[4] The brigade traveling with Madero included Manuel Realivásquez, Juan Anaya, Silvano N. Córdova, José María Delgado, and Dick Brown.

[4] On 7 June 1911 a massive earthquake struck Mexico and the members of the White Cross rushed to the epicenter in Iguala, Guerrero to offer assistance.

[1] A later brigade was founded by Leonor Villegas de Magnón in 1913 that aided soldiers along both sides of the Texas-Mexican border near Laredo, Texas.