Non-Fiction: Fred & Marjorie

Author Illustrator Publisher
Deborah Kerbel Angela Poon Owlkids

How did dogs help Doctors discover a lifesaving diabetes treatment? 

About 100 years ago Dr. Frederick Banting set out to find a treatment for childhood Type 1 diabetes. A disease that would kill children. Although he loved animals he was sure by experimenting with dogs he could save human lives. Luckily he received a grant to work with Dr. Charles Best on this project! These two Canadian doctors got the breakthrough they needed. Thanks to them Type 1 diabetes is no longer a death sentence for children. And dogs became the heroes!

Questions:

  • Type 1 diabetes is a childhood disease. What does the pancreas produce to control body sugars and prevent Type 1 diabetes?
  • Dr. Banting needed to find a way to produce insulin in the lab. What were 3 things he needed to get started on his research?
  • Who was Dr. Banting’s assistant? (Both men became famous for the discovery of insulin)
  • Why did Dr. Banting inject himself with insulin?
  • How did the doctors feel about the dogs they used for live research? How do you feel about it?