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Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle
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Breakthrough: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle (2010) (edit title/settings)

by Thea Cooper (Author), Arthur Ainsberg (Author) (edit contributors)

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It is 1919 and Elizabeth Hughes, the eleven-year-old daughter of America's most-distinguished jurist and politician, Charles Evans Hughes, has been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. It is essentially a death sentence. The only accepted form of treatment – starvation – whittles her down to... read more

Summary edit see section history

One of the most important medical breakthroughs of our time is the discovery of insulin, which has and continues to save millions of lives world-wide. Yet no book has offered a vivid, immediate portrayal of the complex characters of this extremely intricate story – until now.

Ninety... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

One of the most important medical breakthroughs of our time is the discovery of insulin, which has and continues to save millions of lives world-wide. Yet no book has offered a vivid, immediate portrayal of the complex characters of this extremely intricate story – until now.

Ninety years after Dr. Frederick Banting had an idea that would unlock the mystery of the dreaded diabetes disorder in a University of Toronto lab, comes a new book that recreates the discovery with the suspense and drama of a thriller: BREAKTHROUGH: Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle (St. Martin’s Press: September 2010: hardcover) by Thea Cooper and Arthur Ainsberg. Through the prism of the fragile life of a young girl, this remarkable breakthrough comes to life.

In 1918 Elizabeth Hughes stands in the kitchen of her family’s elegant townhouse in New York City, fiercely gulping water from a glass. She is the daughter of Charles Evans Hughes, one of the city’s most highly respected and recognizable citizens. Although Elizabeth doesn’t yet know it, she has what was then an unerringly fatal disease – juvenile diabetes mellitus. In a few short months, what had been a happy, active childhood will be eclipsed by the mounting symptoms of ravenous hunger and insatiable thirst.

In Toronto, a surgeon named Frederick Banting and a student named Charles Best succeed in purifying insulin from animal pancreases. Within months this miracle is nearly derailed by scientific jealousy, intense business competition, and at least one fistfight. In a race against time and a ravaging disease, Elizabeth becomes one of the first diabetics to receive insulin injections. As less fortunate children die, the discoverers work with a little-known pharmaceutical company named Eli Lilly and Company to make insulin available.

BREAKTHROUGH is everything popular history should be – an enthralling story meticulously researched and presented to appeal to readers of all ages.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Life for a Child Program of the International Diabetes Federation.

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Quotes edit see section history

  • “And so the greatest advance in medical science of the age began with bleach in a bucket, sponges and mops.”
  • Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers
  • Living is by necessity a process of continuous loss. As we live we lose time, we lose innocence, we lose family and friends, we lose memories, and the longer we live, the more we lose. Ultimately, we lose the process of losing itself.
    Highlighted by 13 Kindle customers
  • the purpose of living is not to preserve life but to lose it.
    Highlighted by 10 Kindle customers
  • Banting’s old friend and colleague Dr. Joe Gilchrist became the first human diabetic to receive insulin.
    Highlighted by 7 Kindle customers
  • On May 21, 1922, when it appeared that Havens had only a week to live, he became the first American to receive insulin.
    Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers
  • He would later say that if he had been more familiar with the literature on the subject and had known about the previous attempts, he would not have pursued his idea at all. Fortunately for Elizabeth Hughes and millions of other children, he knew next to nothing.
    Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers
  • Humans were unreliable subjects, difficult to control. They promised to comply with instructions and then failed to do so. They forgot. They cheated. They misunderstood. They succumbed to temptation with infuriating regularity.
    Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers
  • Instead of being a victim of diabetes, Elizabeth became a student of diabetes.
    Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers
  • At least three people resolved to be present to hear the paper on December 30 in New Haven, even if that session began at midnight. They were Dr. Elliott Joslin of Boston, Massachusetts; Dr. Frederick Allen of Morristown, New Jersey; and Dr. George Henry Alexander (“Alec”) Clowes, research director of Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana.
    Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
  • Banting promised to keep Williams supplied with insulin so long as there would be no publicity.
    Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
  • In the spring of 1923, Dr. Krogh and Professor H. C. Hagedorn founded the Nordisk Insulin Laboratorium, which began to manufacture the first Scandinavian insulin.
    Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers
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First Sentence edit see section history

The year is 1918. An eleven-year old girl stands in the kitchen of her family's elegant townhouse on East 64th Street in New York City, one short block from the sprawling greenery of Central Park. She is gulping water from a glass with such ferocity that it runs down the sides of her face. It is her sixth glass. Elizabeth Hughes is the daughter of Charles Evans Hughes, one of the city's most highly respected and recognizable citizens. Although Elizabeth doesn't yet know it, excessive thirst is among the telltale symptoms of a then fatal disease--juvenile diabetes mellitus. In a few short months her diagnosis will be confirmed and what had been a happy, active childhood will be devoured by the mounting symptoms of ravenous hunger and insatiable thirst.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Prologue
Chapter 1: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. 1981
Chapter 2: New York City, April 1919
Chapter 3: New York City, April 1919. One hour later.
Chapter 4: New York City, April 1919.
Chapter 5: New York City. April 1919. Later that afternoon.
Chapter 6: War, Peace and Politics. 1914-1918.
Chapter 7: Toronto, Canada. Cambrai, France. 1917-1918.
Chapter 8: New York City. April 1920.
Chapter 9: New York City. May 1920.
Chapter 10: Ontario, Canada. October 1920.
Chapter 11: Ontario, Canada. October 1920 to April 1921.
Chapter 12: New York City. June 1920 to April 1921.
Chapter 13: The Physiatric Institute. Morristown, New Jersey. 1921.
Chapter 14: Toronto, Canada. Summer 1921.
Chapter 15: Washington, D.C. March to December 1921.
Chapter 16: Bolton, New York. August to September 1921.
Chapter 17: Morristown, New Jersey. August to November 1921.
Chapter 18: Ontario, Canada. September to November 1921.
Chapter 19: Indianapolis, Indiana. December 1921.
Chapter 20: Indianapolis, Indiana. December 1921.
Chapter 21: New Haven, Connecticut. December 1921.
Chapter 22: Toronto, Canada. January 1922.
Chapter 23: Toronto, Canada. February to April 1922.
Chapter 24: Honeymoon Cottage. Hamilton, Bermuda. January to July 1922.
Chapter 25: Indianapolis, Indiana. Toronto, Canada. April to August 1922.
Chapter 26: Toronto, Canada. Indianapolis, Indiana. Summer 1922.
Chapter 27: Washington, D.C. August 1922.
Chapter 28: Toronto, Canada. Washington, D.C. Morristown, New Jersey. August 1922.
Chapter 29: Toronto, Canada. August to November 1922.
Chapter 30: Crossing the line aboard the S.S. Pan America. August to September 1922.
Chapter 31: Toronto, Canada. September to December 1922.
Chapter 32: The Nobel Prize and Beyond. 1923.
Chapter 33: Bloomfield Hills. 1922 and afterward.
Postscript
Notes
Bibliography

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Thea Cooper (Author)
  2. Arthur Ainsberg (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Country: U.S.
Publication Date: September 14, 2010
ISBN: 978-0312648701
Page Count: 304

Classification edit see section history

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

BREAKTHROUGH is everything popular history should be – an enthralling story meticulously researched and presented to appeal to readers of all ages.

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

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