Frederick Banting
A Canadian doctor whose relentless pursuit of a pancreatic extract turned a death sentence for diabetics into a manageable condition.
1891–1941 (age 50)·Canadian medical scientist and doctor·Birthday: November 14·The Lost Generation
Biography
Frederick Banting was a determined, practical-minded country doctor from Ontario, whose idea for isolating insulin came to him in a sleepless-night flash of inspiration. With little lab experience, he doggedly pursued his theory at the University of Toronto, teaming up with the young assistant Charles Best. Their crude, painstaking work on diabetic dogs in a hot, cramped lab yielded a life-saving extract. The pivotal involvement of biochemist James Collip in purifying it made treatment viable. The speed from concept to first human trial in 1922 was breathtaking. Banting, fiercely sharing credit with Best, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine the very next year, making him one of the youngest laureates. He gave his prize money to his colleague and devoted the rest of his life to medical research, his legacy defined by that single, monumental breakthrough that rescued millions from a grim fate.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Frederick was born in 1891, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Frederick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1891
Frederick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1891Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1896Started school
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1904Became a teenager
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Could drive
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could vote
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Turned 21
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1921Turned 30
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1931Turned 40
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1941Turned 50
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
Key Achievements
- Co-discovered insulin with Charles Best, for which he was awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
- Administered the first successful insulin treatment to a human patient, Leonard Thompson, in January 1922.
- Was knighted in 1934 for his contributions to medicine.
- Served as the head of the Banting and Best Department of Medical Research at the University of Toronto.
Did You Know?
He initially wanted to be a Methodist minister before switching to medicine.
He served as a medical officer in World War I and received the Military Cross for bravery under fire.
He shared his Nobel Prize money with his research assistant, Charles Best.
He died in 1941 when the military aircraft he was traveling in crashed in Newfoundland.
“Insulin is not a cure for diabetes; it is a treatment. It enables the diabetic to burn sufficient carbohydrates, so that proteins and fats may be added to the diet in sufficient quantities to provide energy for the economic burdens of life.”
