Product Description
When insulin was discovered in the early 1920s, even jaded professionals marveled at how it brought starved, sometimes comatose diabetics back to life. In this now-classic study, Michael Bliss unearths a wealth of material, ranging from scientists’ unpublished memoirs to the confidential appraisals of insulin by members of the Nobel Committee. He also resolves a longstanding controversy dating to the awarding of the Nobel to F. G. Banting and J. J. R. Macleod for their work on insulin: because each insisted on sharing the credit with an additional associate, medical opinion was intensely divided over the allotment of credit for the discovery. 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 it. “The definitive history . . . well written, highly readable.”—London Review of Books “The story of insulin’s discovery ought to be a novel . . . but Michael Bliss’s splendid account is just as absorbing as any fiction.”—Isis “Bliss’s excellent account of the insulin story is a rare dissection of the anatomy of scientific discovery, and serves as a model of how rigorous historical method can correct the myths and legends sometimes perpetrated in the scientific literature.”—New Republic “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

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 7 reviews)

Non-Fiction at Its Best by J. Amaro (Southern California)

5 Stars
September 14, 2007
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.

Great account on the discovery of insulin by wagginpitbull

3 Stars
July 03, 2005
This is a thorough account about the discovery of insulin. The beginning of the book is great story-telling, pure & simple. It starts off with the details of earlier research and the treatment of diabetes prior to insulin, and then goes on to tell the suspenseful tale of the research that lead to the discovery of insulin. Bliss provides clear information and notes when there are conflicting accounts of various events. The latter half of the book details the squabbling over credit of the various researchers. While this information was important to include, I did not need such a detailed, blow-by-blow account of the quarrels. I found this section to be quite tiresome to read. I would rather have heard more details about the personal side of the discovery of insulin (ie, more info about the people saved).

Very readable by Rodger Shepherd (Oakland, CA United States)

4 Stars
July 20, 2004
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.

Excellent and Vivid by R. Albin (Ann Arbor, Michigan United States)

4 Stars
February 05, 2004
This fine book is perhaps the best single narrative account of a major medical breakthrough. Bliss's background is not in medicine or biology but rather in Canadian history, politics, and Canadian cultural history. Prior to writing this book, he wrote what is probably the definitive biography of Frederick Banting and more recently he produced a highly praised biography of William Osler. One of the best things about this book is the broad perspective that Bliss brings to the subject. The exciting story of the isolation of insulin is grounded in a well laid out explanation of the social and cultural circumstances of these events. The situation of Canadian society, the nature of academic life, and the consequences of a great discovery being made in a Canadian city are laid out very well. Bliss is excellent on the science as well. He is a fine writer explains the background and events of the isolation very well. He really shows the team nature of this event and of scientific activity in general. He is very careful to delineate the contributions of all participants and shows how a group effort was really necessary to isolate insulin. A signficant point of revision is his emphasis of the role of JRR MacLeod, the Professor of Physiology at Toronto. In traditional accounts, he is a scientific bad guy who hijacks credit from Banting and Best. In Bliss's account, he is an important contributor who was probably victimized by Canadian nationalism. Bliss is very good as well on diabetes as a clinical problem, the impact of the isolation of insulin, and difficulties of moving from laboratory work to mass production. A fun and informative book that can be enjoyed by specialists and the general reading public.

Like you were there by Richard Edelstein (Chantilly France)

5 Stars
July 09, 2001
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.

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