Happy Birthday Dr Banting

World Diabetes Day is on November 14th every year because it was the birthday of Sir Frederik Banting, the Canadian Noebel Laureate who discovered Insulin in the Summer of 1921.

Before his discovery, the prescribed method of treating children diagnosed with Type 1 (Juvenile) Diabetes was called the ‘Starvation Method’. Apparantly, starving a child to death was deemed kinder than death by Diabetic ketoacidosis – which is what Samuel had when he was diagnosed last July.

This picture shows an early patient before and after the administation of insulin. Shocking!

J. L. Age 3 yrs. Weight 15 lbs, December 15, 1922. Courtesy of Eli Lilly and Company Archives.” / “J. L. Weight 29 lbs, February 15, 1923. Courtesy of Eli Lilly and Company Archives

Insulin isn’t a cure for Type 1 Diabetes but without it Samuel would be … well, that doesn’t bear thinking about!

If you are interested in reading more, try the story of Elizabeth Hughes by James Hirsch, one of the early recipiants of Dr Bantings work.