|
Endocrinology
:
In 1905, British scientist Ernest H. Starling introduced the word
hormone to describe substances secreted by the endocrine glands
that regulate body functions. The discovery of adrenaline, or epinephrine,
in 1901 led to identification and isolation of other hormones. One
of the most important advances was the discovery of insulin by Canadian
scientists Frederick Banting and Charles H. Best and Scottish physiologist
John J. Macleod in 1921. For years people with diabetes mellitus
used insulin extracted from animal pancreases. In 1981, human insulin
produced using biotechnology became available. American physicians
made another major advance in endocrinology in 1949. They discovered
that cortisone, an adrenal gland hormone, relieved inflammation.
New discoveries about human sex hormones later led to the first
birth control pills.
|
