- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: University of Chicago Press; Reprint edition (1 Oct 1984)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0226058980
- ISBN-13: 978-0226058986
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.1 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,954,628 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Review
"The Discovery of Insulin deserves a place on the bookshelf alongside such eye-openers as James Watson's The Double Helix.' Washington Post "Scrupulously researched and compellingly readable ... I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with an interest in diabetes, medical history, or medical scandal and gossip." British Medical Journal 'The definitive history ... well written, highly readable.' London Review of Books
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
In a brilliant, definitive history of one of the most significant and controversial medical events of modern times, award-winning historian Michael Bliss brings to light a bizarre clash of scientific personalities. When F. G. Banting and J. J. R. Macleod won the 1923 Nobel Prize for discovering and isolating insulin, Banting immediately announced that he was dividing his share of the prize with his young associate, C. H. Best. Macleod divided his share with a fourth member of the team, J. B. Collip. For the next sixty years medical opinion was intensely divided over the allotment of credit for the discovery of insulin. In resolving this controversy, Bliss also offers a wealth of new detail on such subjects as the treatment of diabetes before insulin and the life-and-death struggle to manufacture insulin.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
This should be on the 'Must Read' list of everyone starting medical school or thinking about going to medical school. It should probably also be on the same sort of list for anyone remotely interested in medical history and to my mind is a brilliantly written account about one of modern medicines greatest victories.
I particularly liked the even handed approach by which Bliss attempts to give due and appropriate credit to all the relevant parties involved in the discovery and the way in which he shows the complexity of scientific inquiry and how increasingly the credit-cake needs to be carved up between several parties. He paints revealing portraits of the central figures in this story (Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod) and describes how scientific endeavours once sprung from lofty ideals are too often tainted by mutual bickering and jealousy.
One of the great qualities of this book is the way in which we are projected into the minds of the central protagonists and made to feel as if we are there sharing in their ambitions,frustrations and victories. Too often written history is about wars, disasters and megalomaniacs, and it is nice for a change to read about one of humanities high points. Highly recommended.
I particularly liked the even handed approach by which Bliss attempts to give due and appropriate credit to all the relevant parties involved in the discovery and the way in which he shows the complexity of scientific inquiry and how increasingly the credit-cake needs to be carved up between several parties. He paints revealing portraits of the central figures in this story (Banting, Best, Collip and Macleod) and describes how scientific endeavours once sprung from lofty ideals are too often tainted by mutual bickering and jealousy.
One of the great qualities of this book is the way in which we are projected into the minds of the central protagonists and made to feel as if we are there sharing in their ambitions,frustrations and victories. Too often written history is about wars, disasters and megalomaniacs, and it is nice for a change to read about one of humanities high points. Highly recommended.
Format:Paperback
This is a very interesting and well-written account of the discovery and development of insulin. It goes much deeper than the traditional stories of Banting and Best and shows that the discovery involved many other people. As a diabetic of longstanding, I'm grateful to them all and am glad to know about them. I recommend this classic text strongly. It is an easy and entertaining read!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bliss's book is a real page-turner and deserves a much wider reading. The research is solid, and he does a great job of drawing the sometimes sordid details of medical discovery and controversy. He makes an excellent point that those of us who are non-diabetics should remember--there's still no cure.
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