Michael Bliss in 1981. Credit: Toronto Star Photograph Archive, Courtesy of Toronto Public Library. Photographer: Erin Combs.
Without the work of renowned historian Michael Bliss, the story behind the discovery of insulin would have been remembered far differently.
Born in Leamington, Ontario to coroner Dr. Quartus Bliss and Anne Crowe, Michael Bliss originally sought to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a doctor. However, this changed after watching his father save the life of a drunk man, whose face Bliss vividly recounts to have been badly slashed in a brawl.
Bliss enrolled in the University of Toronto on a full scholarship to study science but eventually switched to studying philosophy and history, intending to become a church minister. After a change of heart, he briefly worked as a teacher at various schools in Ontario before finally finding his true vocation as a historian. He later earned his PhD in history from the University of Toronto and briefly worked at Harvard. In 1968, he returned to the University of Toronto as a lecturer, becoming a full-fledged professor in 1978. By then, he was a reputable business historian, having written multiple award-winning books about various Canadian businesses and businessmen.
By the late 1970s, Bliss had undergone another career change. As more documents related to insulin’s discovery became available, he began to write the book that would later cement his legacy as a medical historian: The Discovery of Insulin. The Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to Drs. Frederick Banting and J.J.R. Macleod in 1923 for the discovery of insulin. Prior to Bliss’ monumental book, most people firmly believed that the Nobel should never have been awarded to Macleod, who had originally accepted Banting to work in his lab space on the insulin project. Rather, the ground-breaking research was largely due to the efforts of Banting and his protégé Charles Best, who was omitted from the Nobel recognition. Following the publication of The Discovery of Insulin in 1982, it came to light that insulin’s discovery was largely a team effort between Banting, Best, Macleod, and biochemist James Collip. It was believed that Best had tried to diminish Macleod’s and Collip’s contributions, and Bliss sought to restore their public recognition in insulin’s discovery. The book was met with critical acclaim, winning multiple awards, and translated into multiple languages. It was even adapted into a movie. To say this book changed Bliss’ life would simply be an understatement.
In the latter half of his life, Bliss gave talks around the world, captivating audiences with the history of diabetes and other stories. Moreover, he received many honours, including being promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada and being inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. In his career, he published a total of 14 books, covering the life of Dr. Frederick Banting, an extensive history of businesses in Canada, his own personal memoir, and much more. He died on May 18, 2017 at the age of 76. Without Bliss’ works, the true story of insulin’s discovery may not have been revealed and the public may not have known of the collaborative effort that went into this momentous medical triumph.
— Written by Michael Limmena