The march of medicine; Dr. Fred Banting: A man with an idea

MARCH OF MADISON a public service. Of the American hospital supply corporation. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long Bill. Oh Philip. No no I was just arranging the chessboard. Here's an idea. It feels good to relax so I've been trying to talk our good friend Dr. banding into accepting the honor of being knighted while he has the idea that his work on diabetes and his discovery of insulin are old hat. Well I hope he accepts he deserves all the honors you can get for that medical of his. The American hospital supply corporation presents. As a public service

march of medicine. Promises ations of great moments in the history of medicine. Our story for today. A man with an idea. This is Ron McAdams speaking to you from a community pharmacy much like the pharmacies in your neighborhood directly supervising the pharmacy is a community pharmacist. The medications expert who provides you and me with the drugs prescribed by our doctors and with the many many such related items that we use daily to maintain our well-being. As the custody ins of our communities drug supplies the pharmacist today undergoes five and sometimes six years of university education plus a period of interned ship before he is licensed by our states to practice pharmacy. This specialized background is evidenced by our guest who is Dr. George L. Webster dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois and vice president of the American Association of Colleges of pharmacy pharmacists supervised the distribution not only

of those drugs and medicines which anyone can buy to help them keep comfortable but also those very potent medicines which may only be supplied upon the recommendation of a physician in community pharmacies pharmacists are readily available sources of information on the precautions to be taken in the use of household chemicals. Many keep records of all the medications that have been and are being used by every member of a family. All are expert in their knowledge of available drugs and medicines in hospitals they perform all of these same functions and additionally may keep records on adverse drug reactions. Poison information and investigational drug use in industry. Pharmacists are employed in the isolation of drugs from natural sources. The creation of synthetic analogs and

derivatives. The fabrication of medicines suitable for use and the quality control at all stages of manufacture to prepare for these responsibilities. A pharmacist studies the physical and biological sciences. The behavioral sciences and humanities and the rudiments of business practice. This study requires at least 5 college years in one of the seventy three colleges of pharmacy and in addition I specified time as an intern under the personal supervision of a pharmacist. I had last report there were some twelve thousand three hundred young men and women in the last three years of their college preparation. Approximately 4000 will graduate in 1967 and all of them will find rewarding careers in some phase of pharmacy.

Thank you Dr. Webster. The Art and Science of pharmacy has come a long way in the last 50 years or so. Today we may take for granted the drugs necessary for saving lives and we forget diseases formerly dreaded that are now vanished. But the research and work necessary to conquer these diseases have required long and arduous months and years of effort. What makes a man devote his life to such a career. Sometimes the death or needless suffering of a close friend provides the impetus. Perhaps this was the case with Frederic Grant bending when as a boy of 15 on his family's small farm in Alice in Ontario Canada he encountered first diabetes. The unfortunate victim was a young classmate a girl named Jane fair Frederick bending watched helplessly as the attending physician pronounced the fateful words to a grief stricken father. Your daughter has sugar diabetes a disease as old as mankind and incurable. How much longer can she

live that's the tormented parent to which the physician replied Not much longer I'm afraid. Not much longer. Young Fred Banting stayed by the dying girl's bedside moistening her parched lips with water. Through His mind ran memories of a gay and healthy girl now pale and wasted. Condemned by some unreasonable quirk of fate to an untimely death. The memory never left him. Nor did the name of the dread disease which claimed her life. Sugar diabetes. And. As the poet said the thoughts of youth are long long thoughts. And as Fred Banting grew older he developed a passion for reading. A solemn way of thinking things out and a mature concern for people in trouble. He thought of following his father into the ministry. He entered the arts department of Victoria

college to pursue this career. But before long he realized he had made a mistake. Frederick I received your letter and I am terribly disappointed. Yes sir. But while I've made up my mind Father I realize that the redemption of souls is a noble calling but but well I'm also concerned with the human body. Perhaps you've forgotten but when I was 15 years old a classmate of mine died of diabetes. I do remember it was most unfortunate. I keep asking myself Why couldn't something have been done to save or why should a disease like diabetes be fatal. Why hasn't someone discovered a cure. The answer to that is in God's hands. Perhaps God intended for a man to find the answer for himself. What do you mean by that. Well through your study of the Bible father you were confident you found the answers to man's eternal soul. How he can best avoid sin and attain salvation. I am

going Vince to the Bible is the Word of God and I'm convinced that only through medical research can we eliminate the diseases which afflict humanity. This will be my goal father. A career in medicine to relieve suffering an untimely death. I know that you are given to whims and I won't try to talk you out of this. You thought it out for yourself. But the money medical school is costly. I drop out of school next semester and work here without pay and for all my summer vacations and I will help you my boy. But understand this. You know accepting this money you will lose all rights to my estate after my death. Your brothers and sisters never received what you were receiving no. I hope you aren't making a mistake. No sir I'm sure of it very well. Just understand the agreement. You know I had not come along we have work to do.

This is Frank Sinatra Jr.. I'd like to say a few words to those of you who are about to make decisions as to your life's career. Perhaps I can best start out by speaking of teenagers who are curious and by curious I mean they're motivated by an interest to learn all the things which are happening in the world around them today. I could tell you first about one teenager living in Florida who was studying the effects of radioactivity on the glands of white mice. There's another one a girl this time interested in calcium intake and calcium needs and high school students. Then there's a boy in Washington who's studying so I'm told the constituents of animal blood. They all have one thing in common curiosity. And do you know that curiosity could very well pay off in real dividends. It could lead them into well paying and most satisfying careers.

These people are some of them could very easily go on to do big things. Two accomplishments which they could be truly proud of. Maybe they'll turn up the drugs that will cure diseases currently plaguing mankind. There's a big impressive name for this profession. It's called Pharmaceutical Research and what it means is that you spend your life finding the medicines that will help keep people well that will help solve the mystery for certain afflictions for which as yet there is no cure. It's a big impressive job as well. And why shouldn't you be part of it. This is run we get them again and we're back in the pharmacy. It is here the end product of many years of research are available before a drug is made available to the public. Men skilled in chemistry physiology

pharmacology pathology and medicine worked to perfect this product in modern laboratories equipped with the latest most precise and scientific instruments available. I asked the pharmacist on duty how long it would take for a new drug to reach the public. Oh oh that's hard to say. In most cases it may take years. You see the problem is usually two fold. We must be assured of its efficacy and when we do release it we want to be sure there's an efficient method of production to ensure an adequate supply and when it is finally released. Are pharmacists finished with it. No no no of course not. After testing is completed we know in what cases the drug may prove harmful. Pharmacists work to correct this and discuss with doctors the characteristics of the drug and the use of the drug. Nothing is left to chance. And then there is repeated testing and refinement of the existing drug so that pharmacists are constantly

improving what is available to the public. Testing retesting refining. A research procedure has been developed that works to protect the public but one binding set out he had no procedure he didn't know how to do research. He became a surgeon after finishing medical school and not too prosperous a surgeon either. Cases were few and far between. At the end of his first month's work he had only four dollars to show for his labors. And there were other troubles. His father was still disappointed and his childhood sweetheart tired of waiting for Fred to become successful. Called off their approaching marriage his world was collapsing around him but he had to prove himself. He knew he could be a success. He turned to lecturing at Western Ontario Medical School. The money at least helped him to eat but more important it was here he first hit on his great idea. It Happened One Night in 1920 as he was preparing

notes for a lecture on the pancreas the organ so important to that I gesture to food. He realized the pen Prius was important in protecting us against diabetes. And then it came to him. He didn't sleep that night from the excitement and after formulating his plans he found himself in the office of Professor McLeod of the department of physiology at the University of Ontario. This then is my plan to tie off the pancreatic ducts of the subject and then wait six to eight weeks for degeneration of the cells producing pancreatic digestive juices to occur. Now this will leave a residue from the healthy Island cells of the pancreas you extract this and inject it into a subject with diabetes. How do you follow me. If you tie off a subject's pancreatic duct the digestive juice will no longer function the Iowan cells will stay healthy. And then as this degeneration been completely confirmed and scientifically Well like you were not a scientist it would take

you. It would take you years to learn pancreas anatomy and physiology. Do you know of the chemistry of the blood sugar. Do you even know what clinical diabetes. Don't you see what I'm saying in a degenerated pancreas but the jest of juice is gone. The ion cells remain healthy undamaged. There is no pancreatic digestive juice being produced. You have your hormone your ex and what is this hormone This eggs. It works to burn off sugar. How do you know this occurs you don't you can't. Is it not possible that a healthy pancreas prevents diabetes or some other way is it not possible that the pancreas changes the blood running through it removes poisons from the blood that prevented the body from using sugar. It wouldn't have to be an X.. What you're saying what I'm saying is how do you know the digestive juices are harmful to the island cells. I feel it

feel it. How do you hope to accomplish what the best minds in physiology have not succeeded in establishing or proving by feeling. I know I can. I was sure of this as all please I am a busy man at least give me the opportunity and I will be rid of you too late too. What would you need ten subjects and an assistant for eight weeks that's all. Ten subject Janet assistant. It's not too much to ask me if I'm wrong that all right all right. You'll have it. But no more no less. It is July twenty seven thousand nine hundred twenty one the eight week spending as for our long pass this night the dog miserably thing with diabetes lies

dying on bending stable but bending has succeeded in isolating the X he has so long coveted tonight. Tell him that he's working in the right direction. Is it ready. Oh is it. Let's get on one of them. This poor animal was dying every minute. Oh boy. Easy they're easy. They're now all we can do is his weight. It's been an hour. Look he's trying to stand up quick. Measure his blood sugar. All right. Yes yes yes yes. It's done it's done. What is it. Easy boy. 0.1. Well that's hardly more than sugar in the blood of a perfectly healthy animal. Then we are right. You're way up there. They knew what they were right but there was still a long road ahead of them. The first

subject died in one day. He needed more of the drug. They built a supply and kept the subject alive for eight days 20 days. By November they had it with more refined chemical work they got their supply they were ready for their next big step. It was seen as a hospital room. How old is he. 14. He soon receded. What has been your treatment. A strict diet is all we can do. It's surprising he's not in a coma at this moment. Are you sure your serum is safe. Yes indeed. We each took 10 units and nothing happened to us no ill effects. You are not diabetic. You know but we're wasting time. We'll need extra nurses to record changes in the patient's condition. Of course they'll be available. Good and don't worry this is just a small dose of a weak solution a child's already high well sign.

And how are you feeling a little weak. Well this will fix you up. Lie still. What were your findings when we took him off insulin. He proceeded to return to the condition he was in when you first saw him. Is he back on insulin now. Yes and healthy again. Good. And you realize it is the insulin doing the work now and not some other unknown factor. It is amazing he recovered so quickly. Thank you Dr. banting. Thank you so much. This is Frank Sinatra Jr. and I'm talking pharmacy as a career. Yes I know you've been in pharmacies and you know how important the pharmacist is when somebody in the family is

ill. But do you know just how big an effort it takes to make your pharmacist able to fill those prescriptions with honoring Schell. The big drug manufacturing companies spend around 250 million dollars a year on research and yet out of every three thousand research projects only one drug is actually considered good enough to put on the market. Good enough for it to be actually prescribe for your use. This is a big effort and along the way there are thousands of good positions that you might very well fill. There's a lot of personal satisfaction in contributing to the National Health through a career in fine AC and a good living his well for both men and women. Why don't you look into it. Right. Health careers. Post Office Box four twenty seven Evanston Illinois. For information. Yes sir we have your prescription order on file. Are you feeling

better now. I'll be happy to supply you with more medication here in the prescription department the pharmacist is constantly busy. People come wait a few minutes for their prescription orders to be dispensed and then look forward to the possibility of more comfortable days. They are confident the pharmacist will be able to promptly supply the drugs specified for them by their doctor in the early days of bandings discovery. The problem of supply was always present. There was just not enough available the drug been refined and tested with assistance provided by Professor McLeod and by Dr. Joe Gilchrist a diabetic who volunteered himself as a guinea pig. Medical researcher Well let me see around a minute more not again. I feel like a test tube human read which is probably not a person alive who is add more samples of blood taken from his veins. But now we know when it's time the right time to take the insulin and well what the effects of an overdose and that the drug has proved itself beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Excuse me Doctor. More letters one from a doctor in Manitoba its marker didn't say he needs another supply. He needs a supply isn't it. Here's one from Quebec asking for help. She's willing to come to Toronto as you'll see here and it see I was right and explain it as best as possible. Well I'll cry. It sounds like you're busy. We don't have enough of it and they keep writing. You can't blame them. What they don't realize is that insulin is still for all intents and purposes experimental. Everybody thinks diabetes is a thing of the past. It isn't. A boy died last week who had been saved. He was near death before the incident and recovered. But then there just wasn't enough of the drug so new that there wasn't even insulin before.

But until we're able to mass produce it we'll have to stabilize it keep it away from the people if necessary. We can't build hopes to let them die again. The newspapers will have a field day with that. They're the ones who have been asked suring people diabetes is no longer a dread disease. Doctor bending was not wholly happy with his new fame. Or the newspaper reporters for making it in a scape of all reporters hounded him whenever word leaked out that Bending was working on a project. People were sure he had found a cure and they flocked to him as one sympathetic reporter said for the last several years banding has been supposed to be about to produce cures for cancer tuberculosis punishes anemia or fallen arches and when no such cures seem to be coming

forth the journalists and public alike tended to shake their heads and mutter What ever happened to that fellow bending and not doing much anymore easy and bending too was not content to rest on his laurels. If he had not discovered the cures for various diseases at least he was contributing to the work being done on them. He was helping others to pave the way. His work made social life even family life difficult for him. He once said to a group of students. Gentlemen gentlemen let's quiet down a. Gentleman. You are beginners in the field of research. My advice is this. Put your natural affections in cold storage and be wedded to work and work alone. Do not interrupt research on less you cannot help it unless the force of your conviction compels you to forsake all and

seek the relief of your mind in research work. Ask yourself why every statement that is made and think out your own answers. It is not within the power of the properly constructed human mind to be satisfied. Progress would cease if this were the case. The greatest joy in life is to accomplish it is the getting Eddie not the happy and the giving not the keeping. This is Frank Sinatra Jr. on any day of any year. You'll find about a million and a half Americans in hospitals as patients and just about all of them require as doctors say pharmaceutical products of one kind or another. They take pills they receive shots and the person who supplies medicine.

The hospital pharmacist is a key figure in the nation's health program. These drugs have to be pure and that takes a special skill and knowledge. Did you know that about 75 percent of the drugs now in use today hadn't even been heard of 10 years ago. That's a fact and becoming a pharmacist in a hospital or out takes training and patience and devotion. But what worthwhile satisfying career doesn't require a special knowledge while you're training you can always look ahead to the great good you'll be doing for a great number of people. And at the same time once you've qualified you'll be richly rewarded yourself. It's a growing field for women as well as men. It's a feel for the future. Why don't you consider pharmacy as your life's work. It might be just the career for you. For further information write health careers. Post Office Box four twenty seven. Evanston Illinois. This is Frank Sinatra Jr. wishing you good luck. Banting died in 1941 at the age of 50 while working on a research project for the

Royal Canadian Air Force. He'd been asked to study the effects of atmospheric pressure on pilots and through the work that came out of his group study a new flying suit was developed. It was to be sent overseas for further tests and bending volunteered to go. Space was made for him on a cargo plane but the plane never left Kennedy it crashed in Newfoundland and by the time a rescue party could reach it bending had died. A man honored throughout his life with the most notable towards his final tribute was a simple statement made at the University of Toronto by the Rev. H J Cody president of the university. He said he was a man supremely devoted. A and modest man would remain completely unspoiled by the innumerable honors he had received for his achievement of one of the greatest creative advances in medical science. But perhaps spending expressed his life best. In these words.

Ideas do not come from prosperity affluence and contentment but rather from the blackness of despair. Not in the bright lights of day but in the quiet undisturbed hours of mid or early morning when one can be alone to think the other grand is ours. March of medicine. Promises ations of great moments in the history of medicine. March of medicine is brought to you as a public service by the American hospital supply corporation. Appearing on today's program where stand Gordon. Ron McAdams Bob

Baer and Bill Gretzky and Norman got chopped. This is Mark Maloney speaking. Authentication of research for this program was supplied by the research division of Encyclopedia Britannica. If you wish to receive a script for this program or information on careers in medicine and health. Please send your name and address on a postcard to health careers. Post Office Box four to seven Evanston Illinois. This program was distributed by national educational radio. This is the national educational radio network.