Banting Digital

Welcome to the Sir Frederick Banting Digital Library

In 1921, Sir Frederick Grant Banting and Charles H. Best discovered insulin, a hormone which prolonged and ultimately saved the lives of millions of diabetics.

In 1988, the Alliston Memorial Library received a bequest from the estate of Dr. Henrietta Banting, widow of Sir Frederick Banting. The bequest included a collection of correspondence, papers, diaries, photographs and artifacts, such as pipes and glasses belonging to Sir Frederick Banting.

The digitization of this collection was funded by the Ontario ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation in 1999/2000 through a Digital Content Creation grant.

Additional funding for student support was received from Industry Canada’s Youth Employment project grants in 1999/2000.

The majority of the original documents and artifacts are now in storage at the Simcoe County Archives.

In 2001, a donation was received from the Simcoe County Historical Association to expand the Digital Library. Artifacts and pictures belonging to community residents, and the Museum on the Boyne (previously the South Simcoe Pioneer Museum) have been added.

A Library Net grant from Industry Canada was received in 2001 to further enhance the Banting site as well as to develop a local history digital library.

This project was conducted at the New Tecumseth Public Library.

Contact Us

Any questions? If you have questions regarding information on this site or would like assistance with your searches, please contact [email protected].

Searchable Digital Documents

Use this search field below to find family photograph albums and other photographs related to Banting’s life and work.

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Bibliography

Books About Dr. Frederick Banting

  • Banting, Sir Frederick Grant. “Insulin.” International Clinics: a Quarterly of… J.B. Lippincott, 1924.
  • Best, C.H. Diabetes and Insulin and Lipotropic Factors. Charles C Thomas, 1948.
  • Bliss, Michael. Banting: A Biography. 2nd paperback ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1992.
  • Bliss, Michael. The Discovery of Insulin. 2nd paperback ed. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1996, c1982.
  • Great Dames. Edited by Elspeth Cameron and Janice Dickin. Toronto: U of T Press, 1997.
  • Harris, Seale. Banting’s miracle; the story of the discoverer of insulin… Lippincott, 1946.
  • Jackon, A.Y. A.Y. Jackson: The Arctic, 1927. Hogarth Press, 1932.
  • Jackson, A.Y. Banting as an Artist. Toronto: Ryerson Press, 1943.
  • Levine, I.E. Discoverer of Insulin – Dr. Frederick G. Banting. New York: Julian Messner, 1962.
  • McCarthy, Tom Frederick Banting and Charles Best Discoverers of Insulin. Novalis.
  • Pratt, Viola Whitney Canadian Portraits: Famous Doctors; Banting, Osler… Clarke, Irwin & Co, 1956.
  • Pratt, Viola Whitney Canadian Portraits; Osler, Banting, Penfield; Famous Doctors. Secker & Warburg, 1951.
  • Robbin, Irving Giants of Medicine. Grosset & Dunlap, 1962.
  • Shaw, Margaret Mason. Frederick Banting. Don Mills, Ontario: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1976.
  • Stevenson, Lloyd. Sir Frederick Banting. Toronto: The Ryerson Press, 1946.
  • Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The Discovery of Insulin at the University of Toronto: An Exhibition Commemorating the 75th Anniversary. Toronto: Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto, 1996.
  • USV Pharmaceutical. Diabetes a Medical Odyssey. USV Pharmaceutical Corp.,1971.
  • Wrenshall, G.A. The Story of Insulin: Forty Years of Success Against Diabetes. Toronto: M.Reinhardt, 1962.

Children’s Books About Dr. Frederick Banting

  • Mayer, Ann Margaret. Sir Frederick Banting, Doctor Against Diabetes. Mankato, Minn.: Chicago: Creative Education; distributed by Children’s Press, 1974.
  • McCarthy, Tom. Frederick Banting and Charles Best, Discoverers of Insulin. Illustrated by Krista Johnston. Ottawa: Novalis, 1982.
  • Rowland, Tom. The Insulin Man: The Story of Sir Frederick Banting. New York: Roy Publishers, 1966, c1965.
  • Webb, Michael, ed. Frederick Banting: Discoverer of Insulin. Mississauga, Ontario: Copp Clark Pitman, 1991.