Insulin pioneer is the focus for Inverurie Probus talk
Thomas Fraser and John McLeod, graduates at Aberdeen University in 1898 are names you will probably never have heard of, but many who suffer from diabetes should give thanks to both for their contribution to creating insulin.
Others had major contributions including Bunting, Best and Rennie.
Dr Ken McHardy, retired consultant diabetologist, was the speaker at Garioch Probus this week, and the local interest was Kintore born Fraser, in 1872, who attended Robert Gordons school, while Grammar educated John McLeod, was born in 1876.
Thomas Fraser contribution was experimenting in fish pancreas and was able to give light to the others involved in trying to help control diabetes.
Most of the experts in research were involved in Toronto and at Wolmanhill Hospital in Aberdeen.
McLeod and Bunting were awarded a Nobel Prize for their work while some of the others involved in contributing to the creation of insulin were annoyed they missed out.
At present around 32,000 people are affected with diabetes in this region with an increasing number needing insulin to keep alive.
