190 NATURE 
symptoms actually present, it is greatly welcomed in 
place of the “ starvation ” treatment of Allen, the only 
other treatment of value. But it is evident from 
what has been said above that there is much to be 
found out in respect to its practical use. Since only 
a small dose can be given at one time, because of the 
nervous effects of too great a reduction of the blood 
sugar, and since the effect only lasts about twelve 
hours, it is clear that two subcutaneous injections per 
day are necessary. Although it may be said that 
people addicted to morphine or cocaine use the process 
as often as this, the difficulty is not to be overlooked. 
If the morbid condition of the pancreas has not 
advanced too far, it may turn out that insulin “ re- 
lieves strain,” as it were, so that the normal state may 
ultimately be restored. But this has not yet been 
ascertained. Destruction by the pancreatic juice 
makes insulin ineffective if taken by the mouth. 
Perhaps some method may be found by which it may 
be caused to be absorbed by the stomach before being 
destroyed. The supply on a large scale involves 
problems, moreover, which do not arise in the small 
scale operations of the laboratory. 
Here we meet with the knotty question brought 
into prominence by the action of the University of 
Toronto in taking out a patent and offering the rights 
in this country to the Medical Research Council. 
According to the statement published by this body 
in the Times of November 17 last, the gift has been 
accepted, and application for a patent in this country 
has been made by the University of Toronto. It may 
well be that this University does not altogether realise 
the fact that there is a strong feeling here against 
patenting products of value in’ the cure of the disease, 
so that the action of the Medical Research Council is 
viewed with some degree of misgiving. It is plain 
that the more work there is done both on the pro- 
perties and on the modes of preparation of pancreatic 
extracts the better. While it would be absurd to 
suggest that the Medical Research Council has any 
desire whatever to obstruct such research, the necessity 
for any laboratory being unable to do this except by 
arrangement with the patentees does not seem desirable. 
The best modes of large scale preparation would surely 
be discovered in the shortest time by ensuring that any 
firms having the necessary plant may be free to make 
any experiments that may seem promising. Every 
credit must be given to the Medical Research Council 
in its desire to protect the public from the results of 
putting on the open market preparations of unknown 
potency, some inactive, others too powerful. The 
words used by the Council may be quoted: “The 
intention of the Council is to promote, in the light of 
recent experience in Canada, and of such new know- 
ledge as research will gain, whatever enterprise or 
organisation is best fitted for securing the earliest 
production of the Insulin extract under proper con- 
ditions of safety and control, and so to facilitate, 
with the least possible delay, a ‘thorough and scientific 
trial of the new treatment in this country.” 
We may ask, would not the best way to effect these 
objects be to announce that the Medical Research 
Council were prepared to test and certify preparations 
sent to them? It may be objected that a large amount 
of work would be involved in the’ testing of numerous 
NO. 2780, VOL. IIT] 
[ FEBRUARY I0, 1923 
small batches, since the only method known as yet 
requires the use of rabbits. Here is room for investiga- 
tion, but in the meantime the difficulty might be 
avoided by refusing to certify any but large batches. 
If the Medical Research Council were satisfied that a 
particular firm had the facilities for making such tests 
themselves, they might agree to acgept this firm’s own 
tests, it being always understood that any preparation 
was liable to control, and a failure to confirm the 
makers’ statement would be ruinous to their reputation. 
But there is a further reason that seems to the writer 
to make such a course the wiser one. The well-meant 
gift of Toronto University has unquestionably put the 
Medical Research Council in a somewhat awkward 
position. In view of the facts referred to in the earlier 
part of this article, namely, that active extracts have 
already been made in this country and methods 
published, it is clear that any general patent could 
not be upheld. If Collip’s special process were 
patented, it would be open to a maker to vary the 
solvent, say by using acetone. The writer has found 
that acetone is less injurious to enzymes than alcohol 
is, and it might be worth testing for the purpose of 
preparing insulin. Even if a patent were granted, it 
would be a very costly and troublesome process to 
prosecute for infringement, whereas failure to satisfy 
the Medical Research Council’s test would prevent 
the sale of any worthless preparation. It is indeed 
quite possible that the objection taken to the apparent 
policy of this Council is based on a misunderstanding, 
and that it will turn out that this policy is essentially 
what is advocated here. 
There is another aspect of the matter which has 
been brought to notice somewhat acutely by the 
special circumstances of this case. Whatever may 
be the object of the University of Toronto, there can 
be no manner of doubt that those who have given 
time to, and been put to pecuniary loss by work for, 
the benefit of humanity ought not to suffer. I am 
informed that Dr. Banting gave up his medical practice 
to devote his whole time to the research. It may 
perhaps be objected that if he returns to practice with 
the reputation gained, large numbers of patients will 
come to him. But this does not affect the principle. 
If discoveries in the medical sciences are not to be 
patented, the question arises as to how their dis- 
coverers are to be rewarded. It is absurd, as well as 
deterrent, to allow the mental capacities which 
applied to industry would have brought a fortune, 
to go unrewarded in science. Men of science do not 
expect fortunes, but freedom from worry is essential . 
for good work, and would well repay the comparatively 
small expenditure involved. 
It may be remembered that about three years ago 
a combined committee of the British Science Guild 
and the British Medical Association considered the 
problem, and a deputation from them was sympathetic- 
ally received by Mr. Balfour (now Lord Balfour). 
Subsequent needs for economy prevented any further 
action. Naturally, many difficulties as to points of 
detail arise, such as whether a single gift, on the lines 
of the Nobel prizes, or annual grants, would be the 
better method. Again, it may be said that a particular 
discovery is necessarily based on the work of many 
predecessors. Or a man’s work may not lead at once 
