User:Tomhlane/Charles Best (medical scientist)

Early Life
Dr. Charles Best was born in New Brunswick Canada on the 27th of February, 1899 to a poor family. His father, Herbert Best, was a doctor in a New England Town within Maine with limited economic capabilities, limited to mostly sardine-packing. His mother, Lulu Newcomb, later Lulu Best, did not work, however was prone to sing and play instruments. By the time Charles had reached age, he was choosing between the likes of McGill University and the University of Toronto, family connections persuaded him to pursue his studies in Toronto. Family illness had guided Dr. Best's research interests, having his Aunt Anna die from diabetes, which had profound effects upon him. It was for this reason, alongside his father being a physician, that he chose to study at University of Toronto and train to become a doctor. His University studies were interrupted following his first year at University of Toronto int he faculty of Physiology and Biochemistry, by the onset of the First World War. Here he served as an infantry soldier, however reached the level of acting Sergeant Major. Following his service, he eventually returned to Toronto, but was falling behind in his classes. However, as he claims, the greatest moment of his life occurred following the return to University, when he met his later wife, Margaret Mahon (1900-1988).

Discovery of Insulin
The Discovery of Insulin was certainly the most important event in the life of Dr. Charles Best. Some may refer to it as fate, however it came down to the toss of a coin, as him and another student flipped a coin to determine who would become Dr. Banting's graduate student, with Best winning, he became this graduate student. Within a few months of Banting and Best working together upon the pancreatic organs of dogs, the two had synthesized the compound. However, digestive enzymes also present in the Pancreas were limiting the purity of the extract. The two worked tirelessly to develop a pure form of the insulin, eventually requiring the chemical expertise of James Collip, who was able to quickly assist in the extraction and reproduction of insulin in its pure form. Urgently, Banting and Best dropped off a sample fo the compound to the University of Toronto General Hospital, where a 14 year old Leonard Thompson (diabetic) awaited in urgent care. Banting and Best were able to witness the effectiveness of insulin in real time, as they watched Thompson recover within hours from ketoacidosis, nearing the stages of Diabetic coma. In the following months, the three, Banting, Best and Collip worked to develop the most pure-form they possibly could, eventually achieving this feat that no others previously had been able to achieve. For these achievements, Dr. Frederick Banting and the supervising Professor, Dr. Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1923. Banting shared the winnings and the credit with Best, just as MacLeod had done for Collip.