Charles Best
Encyclopedia
Charles Herbert Best, CC
, CH, CBE, MD
, FRS
, FRSC
, FRCP
(February 27, 1899 – March 31, 1978) was a medical scientist and one of the co-discoverers of insulin
.
, Maine
, he was the son of Luella Fisher and Herbert Huestis Best, Canadians from Nova Scotia
.
, Ontario
in 1915 where he started studying towards a bachelor of arts degree at University College, University of Toronto
. In 1918, he enlisted in the Canadian Army serving with the 2nd Canadian Tank Battalion. After the war, he completed his degree in physiology and biochemistry.
As a 22-year-old medical student at the University of Toronto
he worked as an assistant to Dr. Frederick Banting
and played a major role in the discovery of the pancreatic hormone insulin
—one of the more significant medical advances, enabling an effective treatment for diabetes. In the spring of 1921, Banting traveled to Toronto to visit J.J.R. Macleod, professor of physiology at the University of Toronto, and asked Macleod if he could use his laboratory. Macleod was initially sceptical, but eventually agreed before leaving on holiday for the summer. Before leaving for Scotland he supplied Banting with ten dogs for experiment and two medical students, Charles Best and Clark Noble, as lab assistants.
Since Banting only required one assistant, Best and Noble flipped a coin to see which would assist Banting first. Best won and took the first shift. Loss of the coin toss proved unfortunate for Noble, given that Banting decided to keep Best for the entire summer and eventually shared half of his Nobel Prize money and a large part of the credit for the discovery of insulin. Had Noble won the toss his career might have taken a different path.
In 1923, the Nobel Prize Committee honored Banting and J.J.R. Macleod
with the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of insulin, ignoring Charles Best. This incensed Banting who then chose to share half of the prize money with Best.
he was influential in establishing a Canadian program for securing and using dried human blood serum
. In his later years, he was an adviser to the Medical Research Committee of the United Nations
World Health Organization
.
Best married Margaret Hooper Mahon in Toronto in 1924 and they had two sons. One son, Dr. Henry Best was a well-regarded historian who later became president of Laurentian University
in Sudbury, Ontario. Charles Best is interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery
, Toronto.
in 1948. In 1967 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
in recognition for "his contribution to medicine, particularly as co-discoverer of insulin." He was a commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire
and was made a member of Order of the Companions of Honour
in 1971 "for services to Medical Research." He was a fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Canada
, and was the first Canadian to be elected into the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
.
In 1994 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
. In 2004, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
.
Dr. Charles Best Secondary School
in Coquitlam, British Columbia
, C.H. Best West Elementary School in Burlington, Ontario
, and C.H. Best East Middle School in Toronto, Ontario, are named in his honour.
Best received 18 http://www.utoronto.ca/bandb/best.htm Honorary Degree
s from Universities around the World Including
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, CH, CBE, MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, FRSC
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
, FRCP
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
(February 27, 1899 – March 31, 1978) was a medical scientist and one of the co-discoverers of insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
.
Biography
Born in West Pembroke, Washington CountyWashington County, Maine
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 32,856. Its county seat is Machias.Sometimes referred to as "Sunrise County" because it is the easternmost county in the United States, and it is often where the rising sun first shines on the 48...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, he was the son of Luella Fisher and Herbert Huestis Best, Canadians from Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
Co-discovery of insulin
Best moved to TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in 1915 where he started studying towards a bachelor of arts degree at University College, University of Toronto
University College, University of Toronto
University College is a constituent college of the University of Toronto, created in 1853 specifically as an institution of higher learning free of religious affiliation. It was the founding member of the university's modern collegiate system, and its secularism contrasted with contemporary...
. In 1918, he enlisted in the Canadian Army serving with the 2nd Canadian Tank Battalion. After the war, he completed his degree in physiology and biochemistry.
As a 22-year-old medical student at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
he worked as an assistant to Dr. Frederick Banting
Frederick Banting
Sir Frederick Grant Banting, KBE, MC, FRS, FRSC was a Canadian medical scientist, doctor and Nobel laureate noted as one of the main discoverers of insulin....
and played a major role in the discovery of the pancreatic hormone insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
—one of the more significant medical advances, enabling an effective treatment for diabetes. In the spring of 1921, Banting traveled to Toronto to visit J.J.R. Macleod, professor of physiology at the University of Toronto, and asked Macleod if he could use his laboratory. Macleod was initially sceptical, but eventually agreed before leaving on holiday for the summer. Before leaving for Scotland he supplied Banting with ten dogs for experiment and two medical students, Charles Best and Clark Noble, as lab assistants.
Since Banting only required one assistant, Best and Noble flipped a coin to see which would assist Banting first. Best won and took the first shift. Loss of the coin toss proved unfortunate for Noble, given that Banting decided to keep Best for the entire summer and eventually shared half of his Nobel Prize money and a large part of the credit for the discovery of insulin. Had Noble won the toss his career might have taken a different path.
In 1923, the Nobel Prize Committee honored Banting and J.J.R. Macleod
John James Richard Macleod
John James Rickard Macleod FRS was a Scottish physician and physiologist. He was noted as one of the co-discoverers of insulin and awarded the Nobel Prize for this discovery.-Biography:...
with the Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of insulin, ignoring Charles Best. This incensed Banting who then chose to share half of the prize money with Best.
Professor of physiology
Best succeeded Macleod as professor of physiology at University of Toronto in 1929. During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was influential in establishing a Canadian program for securing and using dried human blood serum
Blood serum
In blood, the serum is the component that is neither a blood cell nor a clotting factor; it is the blood plasma with the fibrinogens removed...
. In his later years, he was an adviser to the Medical Research Committee of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
.
Best married Margaret Hooper Mahon in Toronto in 1924 and they had two sons. One son, Dr. Henry Best was a well-regarded historian who later became president of Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
in Sudbury, Ontario. Charles Best is interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Mount Pleasant Cemetery can refer to several different cemeteries, including:*Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada*Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Taunton, Massachusetts, USA*Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Newark, New Jersey, USA...
, Toronto.
Awards and honours
Best was elected a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1948. In 1967 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in recognition for "his contribution to medicine, particularly as co-discoverer of insulin." He was a commander of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and was made a member of Order of the Companions of Honour
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....
in 1971 "for services to Medical Research." He was a fellow of the Royal Society of London, the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
, and was the first Canadian to be elected into the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
Pontifical Academy of Sciences
The Pontifical Academy of Sciences is a scientific academy of the Vatican, founded in 1936 by Pope Pius XI. It is placed under the protection of the reigning Supreme Pontiff. Its aim is to promote the progress of the mathematical, physical and natural sciences and the study of related...
.
In 1994 he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
The Canadian Medical Hall of Fame is a Canadian charitable organization, founded in 1994, that honours Canadians who have contributed to the understanding of disease and improving the health of people. It has a museum in London, Ontario, and has an annual induction ceremony.-2012:*Terry Fox*John...
. In 2004, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame
The National Inventors Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human,...
.
Dr. Charles Best Secondary School
Dr. Charles Best Secondary School
Dr. Charles Best Secondary School, is a public co-educational public high school located in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The school is named for Canadian physician Charles Best, one of the researchers responsible for the discovery of insulin as a treatment for diabetes...
in Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam, British Columbia
Coquitlam is a city in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada. Coquitlam is mainly a suburban city, and is one of the 21 municipalities comprising Metro Vancouver. According to the 2007 Canadian Census, it is the 5th-largest city in British Columbia...
, C.H. Best West Elementary School in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
, and C.H. Best East Middle School in Toronto, Ontario, are named in his honour.
Best received 18 http://www.utoronto.ca/bandb/best.htm Honorary Degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s from Universities around the World Including
- University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
- Université Sorbonne de ParisSorbonneThe Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
- University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
- University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
- University of Amsterdam
- University of Louvain
- University of LiègeUniversity of LiègeThe University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
- University of Chile
- University of Uruguay
- University of San Marcos
- University of MelbourneUniversity of MelbourneThe University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
- University of EdinburghUniversity of EdinburghThe University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
- Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
- Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki
- Free University of BerlinFree University of BerlinFreie Universität Berlin is one of the leading and most prestigious research universities in Germany and continental Europe. It distinguishes itself through its modern and international character. It is the largest of the four universities in Berlin. Research at the university is focused on the...
- Hebrew University of JerusalemHebrew University of JerusalemThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
- University of ZagrebUniversity of ZagrebThe University of Zagreb is the biggest Croatian university and the oldest continuously operating university in the area covering Central Europe south of Vienna and all of Southeastern Europe...
- University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
Further reading
- John Waller (2002) Fabulous Science: fact and fiction in the history of scientific discovery, Oxford. See Chapter 11: "Painting yourself into a corner; Charles Best and the discovery of insulin", page 223.
External links
- CBC Digital Archives. Chasing a Cure for Diabetes. Accessed 16 June 2008.
- Dr. Charles Best Secondary School. Accessed 16 June 2008.
- Ontario Plaques, The Discovery of Insulin. Accessed 16 June 2008.
- University of Toronto. Banting and Best Department of Medical ResearchBanting and Best Department of Medical ResearchBanting and Best Department of Medical Research is the preeminent Canadian biomedical research institute located on the campus of University of Toronto. The department is named after Drs. Frederick Banting and Charles Best, who discovered insulin and subsequently won a Nobel Prize in medicine....
Charles Herbert Best. Accessed 16 June 2008. - "Rewriting Medical History: Charles Best and the Banting and Best Myth by MICHAEL BLISS". Accessed 23 July 2011.
- Charles Best Papers, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.