* This was probably taken for granted, as it would be by any scientists in a similar situation. But Banting in his 1922 account suggests that he, Best and Collip had explicitly agreed to tell their results to each other. In his 1940 account he elaborates as follows:

Collip, Best and I stayed together [at New Haven] in the same hotel and were together a good deal. Naturally we talked incessantly about the work. There were so many problems that were opened up and demanded immediate investigation that it was agreed that Best and I take Collip into partnership – and that we should pool all results and share alike in all publications; that all results should be confided to each and all of us. It was a gentleman’s agreement and we shook hands on it. I had no suspicion at that time but I believe Best had. Collip was to work on refining the extract – Best and I were to test the extracts and continue the physiological investigations.”

* Macleod and Collip may have been deeply disturbed for a further reason if my ordering of events is incorrect in placing the discovery of the hypoglycemic reaction before January 11. If Collip only discovered it after January 11, as is possible, then he and Macleod would have been appalled at the thought of a clinical test having been held before animal tests revealed the hormone’s potentially fatal side-effect. Collip’s accounts, 1923 K.L, go out of their way to stress how thoroughly the working of the extract had been investigated before it was used successfully on humans.

* There is no certain knowledge, but the memory of those who were on the spot is that Edith was insisting that Banting give up the work, resume practice, and settle down.