IF THE WALLS COULD TALK, the old medical school building at the University of Toronto would have some extraordinary stories to tell. This building witnessed one of the great advances in medicine — the discovery of insulin in 1921 to 1922. It was also privy to the teamwork — and the rivalries — that spurred this momentous scientific breakthrough.
Before insulin, Type 1 diabetes was a death sentence. Only through rigorous starvation dieting could patients gain a few extra months or years of life. Their near-miraculous recovery to full health after being treated with insulin was one of the most dramatic features of the discovery.
The speed of the breakthrough was equally breathtaking. On May 3, 1922 — just 50 weeks after their research began — the Toronto team announced the discovery to the Association of American Physicians in Washington, D.C., earning them the first standing ovation from the association in 20 years.
This story is from the Canadian Geographic July/August 2021, Vol. 141, No. 4 edition of Canadian Geographic.
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This story is from the Canadian Geographic July/August 2021, Vol. 141, No. 4 edition of Canadian Geographic.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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