Editorial in October, 19, 2009 Paulescu Triumphed in Canada
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Editorial In October, 19, 2009 Paulescu Triumphed in Canada When, in 1996, I published – in the group involved in the events related to the Genesis Printing House – the monograph great discovery (Banting died in 1941, entitled “Insulin – the medical discovery of MacLeod died in 1935 and Collip In 1965) – the century belongs to the Romanian .C. the publication of the famous monograph Paulescu” – I was convinced that the truth entitled “ Discovery of Insulin ” could finally be included in this quite lengthy title could not be published; it was authored by the Canadian mystified for an indefinite period of time. At histotian Michael Bliss. the time 75 years had already elapsed since the The paper – that laid emphasis on, and great event, which was correctly related to the gave details concerning the events that had year 1921, took place, but which – according taken place in Canada – had simply wiped to circumstances and subjective preferences – away the myth according to which Banting was incorrectly attributed to either Banting and Best were the discoverers of insulin. The and Best (as it appeared in certain medical great part of the merit in the discovery of treaties) or to Banting and MacLeod (as it insulin was now attributed to the other two appeared in other treaties that mentioned the members of the Canadian group MacLeod and names of those who, in 1923, unfairly Collip. A myth died another myth was born – received the Nobel Prize for the discovery a myth closer to reality, but one that could not made by Paulescu). definitely be separated from the Toronto In 1996 the Canadians organized in events. Toronto an International Congress named “ 75 As a good Canadian, but not as an Years since the Discovery of Insulin ”. This is impartial historian, the author made references the town city where the official Canadian to Paulescu several times in various chapters historian considered the great discovery to of his book; it was not with the aim to have taken place in . It was also considered underline the latter’s monumental contribution that time had wiped away the memories of the to the discovery of insulin, but to somehow fervent disputes carried on within the weaken the troublesome truth according to scientific circles and which referred to which the birth certificate of insulin could “serious errors ” in attributing the great have been attributed to nobody else but discovery, as well as the dreadful fight that Paulescu, who published his discovery in appeared among the four Canadians involved August 31, 1921 in the most reputed European in the 1921-1923 events, so suggestively Journal of Physiology of the time. described by a contemporary witness, under Demonstrating an amazing clarity and the name of ” that crabs' basket from Toronto ” clairvoyance, our outstanding and genial (Bliss,1982) scientist presented not only the physiological In 1982, after the death of Charles Best characteristics of the hormone he discovered (1978) – the last member of the Canadian and called Pancrein but also its Romanian Journal of Diabetes utrition & Metabolic Diseases / Vol. 16 / no. 4 /2009 1 pharmacological characteristics recorded after discovery. Unfortunately this promise was not its subcutaneous administration, the pattern kept, so that distributing my monograph “ The which is accepted to date. With the firmness Re-Discovery of Insulin ” to the main and courage of research genius, Paulescu participants in the Congress remained the stated that this hormone is “the key to the unique solution to make the real and treatment of diabetes”; this statement would authenticate version concerning the discovery be confirmed less then a year from the day it of insulin known as, until then, it had been was uttered. carefully hidden. I soon realized that my book With a view to participating in the above- had a devastating effect on the organizers, mentioned Congress held in 1996 in Toronto , who were forced to present in their I had the good inspiration to take with me 100 interventions more about the first usages of copies of my monograph called “The Re- the pancreatic extract obtained by them in Discovery of Insulin ” published in the same treating the diabetics (an important success year (1996) by the Genesis Printing House. By which really belongs to the Canadian group), its title I wanted to underline that the data glossing over the most laborious stage – the published by Bliss in his book did not express one of the antidiabetic effect of the new the reality and that the distortion of the hormone – without which therapeutic outstanding contribution made by Paulescu in utilization could have not been possible. the discovery of insulin reflected in Michael Indeed, the discovery of insulin as a Bliss’s book strongly endangered his physiologic reality totally belonged to reputation as an impartial historian. For the Paulescu. On this occasion I better realized the first time I presented formidable arguments damning conclusion of the eminent professor against the repeated assertion that the Ion Pavel (1897-1991) – after an exhausting Canadian researchers had not been familiar activity (two monographs on the subject, with Paulescu’s published papers and, published in English and numberless speeches consequently, their contribution – although it delivered in international congresses) uttered followed that of Paulescu’s – might have had bitterly: no connection with it. I demonstrated with the “I devoted all my efforts in the last two help of real and doubtless documents that decades to recognising the priority of of .C. Paulescu’s books were known not only to Paulescu in the discovery of insulin. On Banting, Best and MacLeod, but also to other appraising today the circumstances which, two North-American researchers who had for 65 years, have wronged this great been working in the same domain: Ernest scientist, I found out that this injustice is, as a Lyman Scott and J.R. Murlin. In this respect matter of fact, the result of a grievous lack of there are written documents. scientific ethics .” In the letters exchanged in spring of 1996 During the long talks I had with the with the organizers of the Toronto Congress, I distinguished professor I. Pavel – one year was promised the opportunity to express the before his death – he was skeptical in as far as Romanian point of view regarding the epochal the possibility of correcting this injustice was Romanian Journal of Diabetes utrition & Metabolic Diseases / Vol. 16 / no. 4 /2009 2 concerned. “Paulescu , great man, poor man ” bearing the statues of Lancereaux and he sadly used to say. When I told him that his Paulescu – which was going to take place in fight was not in vain and that it would be the B gallery of the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in continued, and that I would not leave this Paris – where the two scientists had worked world before seeing the truth restored in together in the period 1888-1897, as well as connection with the discovery of insulin, he the delivery of the Paulescu Lecture by the turned his almost blind eyes towards me and winner of the competition (Professor Geremia said: ” Maybe you are right and you have to be Bolli of Italy), were cancelled as a right. The fight shall be continued. This consequence of a note appeared the previous unhappy Romanian people does really deserve day in the “Le Monde” that mentioned certain it.” anti Semitic works written by Paulescu. In 2001, due to the moral support granted Being convinced that the Truth will by professor Nicolae Cajal, on August 31 the remain the only valid arbiter in establishing date the monumental work published by the value of a scientist, I was pleased to find Paulescu in 1921– we almost miraculously out that, on the very first day of the Congress succeeded in uncovering the monument of the Diabetics International Federation erected in memory of the great Romanian (Montreal, 2009), under the name of “Bernard scientist, rised in the south-eastern corner of Houssay Memorial Lecture”, the one hour the park belonging to the Faculty of Medicine conference on “ The Discovery of Insulin, in Cotroceni. In the presence of the President Science and Controversy ” would be delivered of Romania, the speeches delivered by Sir by the well known Spanish diabetologist George Alberti, professor from Great Britain – Alberto de Leiva, professor at the University that time the President of the International of Barcelona, the winner of an important Diabetes Federation – and of Academician collection of international scientific prizes and Nicolae Cajal and Academician Maya medals, in recognition of the huge amount of Simionescu, underlined the exceptional research activity in diabetes (more than 250 scientific merits the great scientist born in this published articles and more than 100 chapters country made in the field of the diabetes and in various specialized treaties). Evidently, on physiological research. I can still remember Monday, October 19, 8:30 a.m. some that day of August 31, 2001. It stuck into my Romanian colleagues and I were already in the memory exactly as it really was: a bright late conference hall. summer day, when one of the most important In the ample presentation that lasted for objectives I had proposed to myself, was 45 minutes, half of the time allotted to the accomplished. speech about the topic was dedicated to a In 2003, on the occasion of the Congress detailed presentation of the scientific activity of the International Diabetes Federation - by a of Paulescu, which finally culminated in the totally mysterious intervention of the politics discovery of insulin. Based on very detailed in the precincts of the Citadel of Science – the documentation of the works of different uncovering of a commemorative plaque precursors published in connection with this Romanian Journal of Diabetes utrition & Metabolic Diseases / Vol.