Company of the Indies

The Company of the Indies (Compagnie des Indes) was a powerful French chartered company established in the early 18th century, most famous for its role in the Mississippi Bubble under John Law. While primarily a trading and colonial entity, it played a significant role in the early healthcare infrastructure of French colonies, particularly in Louisiana. The company was responsible for establishing and managing the first hospitals in New Orleans, such as the Hôpital du Roi, and contracted religious orders like the Ursuline nuns to provide medical care and pharmacy services. It also controlled the trade of medicinal commodities, including the export of North American ginseng to China and the distribution of cinchona bark (quinine) for treating fevers. The company's operations effectively integrated early pharmaceutical trade with colonial administration before its eventual liquidation in 1770.