Great discoveries in the field of science are often dependent on the efforts of more than one individual. Such is the case with the discovery of insulin where the work of Banting and MacLeod was assisted significantly by the contributions of Best and Collip, leading to the award of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1925. Of particular interest to understanding the process of this development is a letter of J. B. Collip to H. M. Tory, President of the University of Alberta, dated January 8, 1922, a letter which can be effectively integrated into the activities of the social studies classroom. (University of Alberta Archives, Edmonton. Accession No. 68-9-144, Reference No. RG 3).
The letter was written by Professor Collip prior to his return to teaching and research at the University of Alberta after collaborating for one year with Banting, Best and MacLeod on the insulin project at the University of Toronto. It could be argued, however, that Collip's contribution to the discovery is evident as early as 1915 upon the completion of his PhD at the University of Toronto and his subsequent appointment to the University of Alberta in the study of physiology and biochemistry. What followed was a brilliant career that included his involvement at a number of universities and research institutes in Canada and elsewhere.
The excerpt of the handwritten letter presents a brief discussion of how Collip conducted his research with reference to the "logical way" scientific discovery proceeds "from point to point into an unexplored field building absolutely solid structures all the way." Also noted is the underlying principle of applying research to human administration, a principle "which has such wondrous powers the existence of which many have suspected but no one has hither to proved."
Engaging the Students with the Document
The letter is a starting point for a variety of interesting activities that may be used in a social studies unit centering on technology and scientific discovery. It can be viewed on two different though not mutually exclusive levels. On the one hand, the excerpt of the letter addresses questions about the logic of scientific discovery, how the research scientist works and the potential value of scientific research for society's health and well-being (compare, Bliss, 1982). Attention, for example, could focus on a time-line of scientific discovery as it relates to the Canadian context. Comparisons can be made with discoveries in other countries, illustrating how events in one social and cultural context inspire effects in another (Hugill and Dickson, 1988). Do such discoveries rely exclusively on logical argument, following step-by-step the solution to a problem? Or is there a speculative side to discovery which from a creative perspective provides an impetus to research? Is scientific discovery equivalent to scientific and social progress? Is it, moreover, a community effort, one which engages a group of investigators each contributing a small piece to the solution of a problem?
On the other hand, the document addresses questions of science and the wider social context. How, for example, does Collip's discovery impact not only on the domain of science but of society itself? What, specifically is the social significance of the discovery of insulin? And what is its effect on the economic well-being as well as the health of individuals in the community?
These issues suggest the opportunity for class activities that bear upon both the theory and practice of integrating science and social studies. A field trip to an industrial complex, for example, will provide a first-hand opportunity to see the results of science in action. Similarly, a research scientist could be invited to present the views of the scientist both on the process of discovery and its effect on the community. On a more theoretical level, the teacher along with the students could use the activities as a starting point for the development of a social studies unit that focuses on a variety of questions related to the importance of government support for national health care, including the role of medical research and the function of other institutions and individuals in the health care professions.
A Concluding Note
It is apparent that Collip's letter has wide-ranging implications not only for the study of historical events surrounding the discovery of insulin, but for contemporary issues about science in society, issues of deep ethical significance for social studies at a time when scientific research is proceeding at ever-advancing rates in the cure of disease.
References
Bliss, Michael. 1982.The Discovery of Insulin. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart.
Hugill, P. and Dickson, D. (eds.). 1988. The Transfer and Transformation of Ideas and Material Culture. College Station, Texas: Texas A & M University Press.
Letter of J. B. Collip to Henry Marshall Tory. University of Alberta Archives. Edmonton, Alberta. Accession No. 68-9-144, Reference No. RG3.