The Discovery of Insulin

"The Discovery of Insulin" by Michael Bliss has to be considered the definitive word on the trials and tribulations on the discovery of insulin. I'd say, even this day, if you ask most folks who won the Nobel prize for the discovery of insulin, I believe that the most common answer still is Banting and Best, not Banting and Macleod. Never mind even knowing who Collip was. The book edition I read was the 2007 updating of "The Discovery of Insulin" where Dr Bliss not only answers his first edition critics, but also expands and discusses ever so briefly what's new in diabetes research. I wouldn't categorize this book as an "easy" read, but it is a highly fascinating account of the ideas behind insulin research and just how devastating the disease was before the discovery of insulin. Given the fist fights, decent, misunderstandings, glory-hogging, research mistakes, and just plain meanness of some of the participants, it amazes me that the discovery was even made, but it was, and I, for one, as a diabetic, am glad for it. Consider "Bittersweet" by Chris Feudtner as a companion volume, concentrating as much on the discovery of insulin as much as the patients and other participants. I wouldn't categorize this book as an 'easy' read, but it is an unflinching historical narrative of dreams, results and life.

I am a type 1 diabetic and have been for 23 years. I read this book to learn more about insulin and its history. However, I learned a great deal more. My introduction to the history of science began with Thomas Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." Kuhn's magnificent book shows science as it should be. "The Discovery of Insulin" reveals much of the reality of scientific pursuit. The process of scientific discovery is often dirty. It is often ridden with failure. The process of finding the source of insulin involved the deaths of many dogs, whose pancreas were brought to the outside of their bodies. There was continuous, unfailing labor of two scientists who did not give up in the face of hundreds of failures. Also part of the story is the competitiveness of the authors of the discovery. For example, those who received the Nobel Prize for this discovery were not necessarily the ones who did the actual thinking, laboratory work, and contribution to publication. This is one of my favorite, all-time books about the history of science.

This is the ideal book for all those diabetics who are afraid to start insulin, hate their disease or feel that life has unfairly dealt them a bad hand. They should find inspiration in the life of the young Elizabeth Evans Hughes, a child diabetic who survived the years before insulin by adhering to a brutal near-starvation diet for four years, the only effective treatment at the time, and then faithfully took the newly discovered insulin and lived to be 74. Elizabeth got diabetes at 11, before insulin's discovery, and would likely have died within one year were it not for her determination and iron will. The story of the equally determined Dr. Banting, insulin's chief discoverer, is just as compelling as are the battles of personality and will that developed among those connected with the discovery and development of insulin. Those who live with diabetes or diabetics should find the human stories in this book as inspiring as I did. Michael Bliss the author has managed to place history in the form of a novel.

The book can be viewed as having four sections: background, the "discovery", the fallout, and an epilogue. I found the sections on background and the "discovery" very exciting and compelling reading. The sad story of the subsequent bitter fallout over credit for the discovery of insulin is more plodding and painful but necessary reading. The short epilogue follows the significant persons through to their deaths.The book brought me some useful closure. In the mid-fifties I actually saw and heard Dr. Best when he was visiting San Francisco and was invited to speak to my class in medical school. At the time I vaguely realized that I was in the presence of someone of importance in medical history. Bliss' book has made me appreciate the opportunity much more.By the way, Bliss fails to mention Best's textbook of physiology, a work that was the standard textbook for literally generations of medical student. Best's textbook was coauthored by the N.B. Taylor who is mentioned very briefly on page 91 of Bliss' book.

This incredibly well documented book must be the definitive story of the discovery of insulin. More exciting than any novel, Michael Bliss makes you feel as though you are in the lab with Banting and Best during the frantic summer of 1921. You can almost hear the dogs breathing, feel the excitement of the researchers and the frustration of the patients for whom obtaining the initially rare and precious substance meant the difference between life and death. The book explains the complexities, the jealousies, and the bitterness associated with the discovery, and how difficult it was (and still is) to state with certainty how important was each person's contribution. Bliss is not only a great historian, he is a wonderful story-teller too. Anyone who has diabetes, has cared for a diabetic, knows someone with diabetes or has even heard of the word "diabetes"should read this book. I read it from cover to cover on a transatlantic flight. This is the first book by Michael Bliss I have read - it won't be the last.