The discovery of insulin: a story of monstrous egos and toxic rivalries

By Kersten Hall, Author and Honorary Fellow, School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, University of Leeds

When Frederick Banting’s phone rang one morning in October 1923, it was the call that every scientist must dream of receiving. On the other end of the line, an excited friend asked Banting if he had seen the morning newspapers. When Banting said no, his friend broke the news himself. Banting had just been awarded the Nobel prize for his discovery of insulin.

Banting told his friend to “go to hell” and slammed the receiver down. Then he went out and bought the morning paper. Sure enough, there in the…

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